Numbered Days
by UpspokenWords
Summary: What if Matt & Mello survived? What if Matt was dying & had only 14 days to live? What if four people find Matt and "want him back"? How will it affect Matt and Mello? Alternate anime ending. Eventual MxM, 5 OCs Rated for language.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Matt and Mello would be alive and together. **_

_**A/N: This is my first fic! I hope you all enjoy it! For Matt, I depict him with red hair, despite what his official hair color is. Again, thank you for reading. **_

_**Numbered Days**_

_**Chapter One**_

The first thing that Matt noticed when he opened his eyes was that the room he was in was bright. The hell? He was supposed to be dead, not in some random bright room. Looking around, Matt took in his new surroundings. He was no longer out on some street in Japan, bleeding to death. Instead, he was in a white room, void of anything except for some medical equipment like a heart monitor and IV, two chairs, and a small table. On said table were his precious goggles, his cell phone, and a note in Near's unmistakable neat handwriting. _  
><em>

_Matt, if you are reading this, consider yourself lucky. If you are able, use the phone to call the only number in the contacts. -Near_

Matt scoffed at the small note. Of course the albino wouldn't give Matt any clues as to where he was. Sitting up slowly, Matt winced at the pain he felt in his gut. Stupid ass cops actually fucking shot him. Slipping the orange goggles over his eyes, Matt picked up his phone and dialed the only number in his contacts. It rang three times before Near picked up.

"Matt."

Irritation clawed at Matt's insides. 'Really, you have _me_ call _you_ and you pick up like I'm the one to start the conversation?' Sighing out his frustration, Matt tried to speak evenly. "Yeah, kinda conscious now. Mind filling me in?"  
>Near, being well...Near, spoke plainly. "I'll explain in a moment." Then the little brat hung up. Little turd once again couldn't be any more helpful?<p>

* * *

><p>The door to Matt's room opened slowly, almost cautiously. Halle Lidner entered the room, with Near not far behind him. Halle smiled at Matt, looking grateful. "Matt. How are you feeling?" Matt sighed. "Fucking peachy. Now tell me where the fuck am I?" What would it take to get some answers? Halle and Near sat down in the two vacant seats beside Matt's bed. Halle was the first to speak. "You're at SPK headquarters. We saw what had happened to you, and Near sent out a team to get you as soon as possible. You were unconscious from blood loss, but we managed to stabilize you in time." Matt let the information sink in; he was shot but was alive. Wait... "What about Mello?" Halle didn't seem surprised by Matt's question and looked hesitantly at Near.<p>

Seeing that Halle wasn't going to answer Matt, Near twirled his hair whilst speaking. "Mello kidnapped Takada, as you know. Shortly after you were gunned down, the church went up in flames." Matt's eyes bugged out of his head. Not acknowledging Matt's expression, Near continued. "He escaped and is fine. I'm sure he'll tell you the details himself." Getting up, Near walked over to the door to leave, with Halle close behind him.

"Wait, that's it? Is Mello here? How long have I been asleep?" Halle turned back to Matt, Near already opening the door. "Mello's here too. He'll stop by soon, probably. It's been four days since the kidnapping."

"FOUR DAYS? Wait, that means you met with the guy you suspected as Kira. Near, stop trying to walk away. Get your ass back in here and explain!"

If Near was more human, he probably would have sighed or something. Instead, he returned to the empty seat and explained what had happened in the warehouse. Matt nodded in understanding slowly, as the information sunk in. When it was clear that Near had finished, Matt broke out into a smile. "So that's it? We got him!" Matt threw his arms in the air, as if he were a small child. Halle couldn't help but smile a little at the childish action. Then her smile turned into something akin to sadness.

This action did not go unnoticed by the redhead. 'So this isn't all good news after all...' was Matt's bitter thought. "Alright, spit it out."  
>Halle seemed to stumble on her words, so Near spoke up. "Misa Amane, the woman thought as the Second Kira committed suicide the day Light Yagami died. However she did...something before she died." He took a pause, as if to give a moment for Matt's mind a moment to catch up, like he was some retarded child. Matt motioned for the albino to continue. "To be blunt, Matt, you're dying."<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Matt and Mello would be alive and together. **_

_**A/N: This is my first fic! I hope you all enjoy it! For Matt, I depict him with red hair, despite what his official hair color is. Again, thank you for reading. **_

_**Numbered Days**_

_**Chapter Two**_

Matt seemed to lose all the breathe in his lungs. "I'm...what?" Near stared at Matt with cold, calculating eyes. "Misa Amane seemed to have a piece of the Death Note. It appears that she wrote your name down before she killed herself. It appears you will die in 14 days." Matt's eyes narrowed into slits. Something was wrong here. "Why would she kill me in 14 days? Why not, you know, kill me when she wrote my name down. Wait, how did she know my name?" Questions whizzed through Matt's head. Two weeks? That's it?

"It appears that Misa Amane made the Shinigami Eye Trade. It allows the person in possession of the Death Note to see the names of the people they see. I would assume she saw you on T.V., assumed you were part of the kidnapping of Takada, and wrote down your name. As to why she kept you alive," Near paused to twirl his hair with his finger, "I would guess she wanted to see you and those involved in the kidnapping suffer. There is nothing like seeing someone die and being unable to do anything about it." If you weren't looking, you would have missed the flash of bitterness in Near's eyes; however, it left as quickly as it came. Standing up for a second time, Near made his way for the door. "No one besides Halle and I know about it. It is your choice whether you want to tell Mello." And with these words, Near walked out of the door. Halle turned to Matt, giving him a sad, comforting smile. "I'll...tell Mello you're awake." With that, she also got up and left Matt alone with his thoughts.

* * *

><p>Two weeks. Fourteen days. That's all he had. Lying back on the bed, Matt draped his arm over his eyes. Matt always figured he would die young; chain smoking tended to do that. But really? Two weeks? A cold numbness swept over Matt's mind as reality sunk in. So this was it, huh? As Matt laid there for several minutes, he thought about his life. My mother, his father, Mello...and a group of four people he thought he would never think of again...<p>

Matt's train of thought was broken by the sound of a door opening. Putting his arm down to rest on the bed, Matt looked over to the his best friend. 'Ah shit' was the only thought that passed through Matt's brain. The blond was practically seething with anger. He stormed up to Matt's beside, and Matt swore Mello was going to beat the shit out of him. Instead, he settled to yelling. "MATT! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU? WHY THE FUCK DID YOU GODDAMN STOP AND GET OUT OF THE CAR? ARE YOU FUCKING SUICIDAL? WHY DIDN'T YOU KEEP FUCKING DRIVING, YOU FUCKTARD? HOLY FUCKING SHIT." Matt, if he wasn't used to Mello yelling at him, would have winced at the man's rather loud voice. Waiting for Mello to catch his breath from yelling so much (which was several minutes and profanity filled sentences later), Matt looked at Mello in the eye, calm as always. "My bad. But I turned out all right, didn't I?" He gave a cheeky grin for good measure, hoping it would appease the chocoholic.

Turns out he was wrong. "ALRIGHT? YOU CALL THIS ALRIGHT?" Mello motioned vaguely at Matt's bedridden self, the heart monitor and IV. Mello dropped his voice to a more normal speaking tone, but it did not diminish the anger that was seeping into his words. "No Matt, you are not 'alright'. You almost fucking died. Do you not understand that?" Mello's voice dropped to a defeated groan, as if he was trying to explain something really easy to a mentally retarded person. (Funny how people were doing that to him today). Matt tried to speak calmly to his short-tempered friend. "Hey, listen, I know what could have happened. I _knew _what could have happened. But it didn't. No use trying to do something about it now. Calm the fuck down Mel." He said the last part with a hint of laughter in his voice.

Mello rolled his eyes, but said nothing more. Instead, he decided to brief Matt on his narrow escape from being burned to a crisp (again). It seemed that Takada tried to sneak a piece of the Death Note in her bra, and planned to kill Mello that way. Mello, easily seeing through her, took the paper and drove the truck to the church. He cut the engine, made sure Takada was locked in the back and walked a short distance away from the church. In minutes, everything was up in flames. Mello seemed convinced it was Kira's doing, and was proved right when Near spoke with Light Yagami. After everything was smoke and ash, Mello caught a ride with Halle back to SPK. By that time, Matt had already been taken care of and had fallen into a coma for the past four days.

Matt was amazed, but not entirely surprised, that Mello survived. Maybe the God he worshiped really was looking out for him...Mello took out a chocolate bar from his pocket and snapped it. Standing up suddenly, Mello walked out of the room, muttering a "you're a mess". In Mello's language, that was almost like a "get well soon". Matt smiled a little bit at the thought, although deep in his mind, he was debating whether to tell his friend that they were witnessing his final moments.

Mello burst into the room, minutes later, looking slightly annoyed. "Oi, come on out. There are some...people here to see you." If is wasn't for the irritated air Mello was radiating, Mello probably would have laughed at the absurdity of it. Matt. People coming to see him? Ridiculous. How did they find him in the first place? His location was top secret... Pushing these thoughts away, Mello motioned towards the door. "You coming?"

Matt blinked in disbelief as similar thoughts ran through his head. "What? Who are they?" Mello shrugged nonchalantly. "They call themselves Alice, Anthony, Kaitlyn and Max." Matt felt as if his insides dropped. Why the fuck were _they _here?


	3. Chapter 3

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Matt and Mello would be alive and together. _**

**_A/N: This is my first fic! I hope you all enjoy it! For Matt, I depict him with red hair, despite what his official hair color is. Again, thank you for reading. _**

**_Numbered Days_**

**_Chapter Three_**

Matt (after having some difficulty getting out of bed due to his injuries) followed Mello out of his room and down an empty hallway. The SPK headquarters was a large building, and it seemed that Near had put Matt in a room away from the hustle and bustle. Scoffing at the idea of Near being something close to considerate, Matt took quiet, deep breaths to calm his nerves. 'Why the flying fuck are they here? How did they find me?' Butterflies were rattling around in his stomach, desperately trying to escape. Mello opened a door and revealed the SPK's main room. Monitors lined the front of the room, each following different news stations from different parts of the world. Near was sitting with his knee curled up against his chest, adding dominoes to his elaborate display that lined the floors of the large room. Halle and several other SPK (or rather, ex-SPK, after the defeat of Kira) were scattered around the room, each seemed to look busy. However, their tense and curious glances at Matt proved that work was the last thing on their minds.

The four people to see Matt were all standing in the back of the room by the entrance. There were two girls and two boys. They all seemed to be in their late-teens or early twenties. One girl had straight, light brown hair that was past her shoulders; she had blue eyes that seemed to cut right through you. She was wearing a black shirt, tight black pants, black high heeled shoes, and a leather jacket. Her hands were behind her, her thumbs in her back pockets, which showed off her black fingerless leather gloves. The only item she wore that wasn't black was a simple silver chain hanging around her neck. In essence, she was a female version of Mello. She was talking to one of the boys. He was tall and thin, with short black hair that swept over his forehead. He had brown eyes, and thick rimmed black glasses. On anyone else, the glasses would look dorky, but he made them seem cool. He wasn't wearing anything flashy like the brown haired girl; he was dressed simply in jeans and a white t-shirt. He stood next to the other girl in the group. She had long black hair that was past her shoulder blades. She had dark brown slightly slanted eyes, giving the impression she was of Asian descent. She was wearing a purple sweatshirt, with a black tank top underneath, and a pair of skinny jeans. She seemed to be conversing with the other boy in the group. The other boy was also tall, with blue green eyes. He was wearing a gray shirt with a black jacket with the sleeves rolled up. He was wearing a pair of tight black jeans that showed off how thin he was. A lit cigarette was dangling from his lips. They were all rather good looking, and all looked up at Matt and Mello once noticing their appearance.

None of them spoke, as if they were waiting for Matt to speak first. Matt glanced at each of them, unable to form words. His mouth had gone dry, and suddenly found the floor quite interesting. Mello took in the appearance of each person; how the hell did Matt meet these people? Laughing to himself at the idea of Matt being anything close to social, Mello turned to see how Matt reacted. One moment, he was being typical Matt: awkwardly staring at the floor, looking like he was itching for a cigarette. The next, he looked up, looking cocky as shit. He put on his smirk as he went over to the group. "Kaitlyn, still trying to act all tough, I see." His smirk widened at the glare she gave him. He went over to the glasses-wearing boy, giving a pat on the shoulder. "Anthony, they do anything super dumb while I was gone?" Anthony shrugged, although smiling a little. "Nothing more so than usual." Matt laughed at this, as he moved over to the other girl. "Alice." He gave a nod and small smile to her as an acknowledgement, but nothing more. This is the part that really threw Mello for a loop: Matt sauntered over to the boy who was smoking, threw his arm over his shoulder and plucked the cigarette from his lips. "Max." He gave a quick peck to said boy's cheek, before taking a slow, long drag from the borrowed cigarette. As he exhaled the smoke, Matt put the stick back into the other boy's mouth.

'Who the hell is this, and what did he do with Matt?' was all Mello could think. There was no way this guy was the awkward as fuck guy he knew. Silence fell upon the group, more due to not knowing how to start, rather than awkwardness. The leather wearing girl, Kaitlyn, was the first to speak. "Dude, you got so fucked. The hell happened?" Matt blinked in surprise, but quickly recovered. "Nothing. Anyway, what are you guys here for? How did you find me?" The Asian girl, Alice, stepped forward. Mello couldn't help but feel like he had seen her somewhere before. "Near told us. We've been looking for you." Matt glanced back at the albino, who was still stacking dominoes, seeming to be uninterested in their conversation. Running a hand through his red hair, Matt gave a sigh. "And? I doubt you came by just for a quick hello."

Kaitlyn, who seemed to have the quickest temper (another quality she seemed to share with Mello) snapped at him. "What do you mean 'and'? We came to get you back, you ass." Mello thought this was a good time to intervene. "Oi, what the fuck are you guys talking about?" The group's gaze was now focused on Mello. Kaitlyn stepped forward. "Hm? Mind your own business blondie. This is between us. Who do you think you are?" You could practically hear Mello snap. "Who am I? I think I should be the one asking you that. How the fuck do you know Matt?" He sneered at the group.

Anthony stepped between the two of them, looking at Kaitlyn. "Hey, come on now Kaitlyn, calm down." Shifting his gaze on Mello, Anthony spoke evenly. "We're Matt's friends." Mello scoffed at the ridiculous statement. Matt's only friend was Mello. Anthony, although surprised by Mello's reaction, continued. "Um, well, we're Matt's bandmates." This is where Mello lost it. He threw his head back in laughter. Matt? Little uncoordinated, dorky Matt? In a band? Composing himself, Mello met Anthony's eyes. "You're joking right?" After seeing the seriousness in everyone's faces, Mello saw they were telling the truth. He looked over to Matt, whose arm was still draped over Max. "This true?"

Matt nodded nonchalantly, acting as if he did this sort of thing all the time. Anthony continued talking after seeing that Mello had fallen silent. "Well, yeah. We're a band called Rush. We formed about four years ago, although Matt mysteriously disappeared about a year ago. But we found him again, so I guess that's all that matters." He shot Matt a reassuring smile. Alice, however, didn't seem to think so. She walked forward, now standing next to Anthony. "Now, how do you know Matt?" Mello, clearly uninterested in giving these people any information about him, gave her a short, simple answer. "A friend." Alice, however, seemed to be amused by this. "Really? And you weren't aware he was in a band? Interesting. I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name." Her voice sounded pleasant, but Mello could hear the underlying challenge in her words. "Mello." His voice was indifferent, as if this woman wasn't worth taking to. Alice seem intrigued, and her eyes flashed with something Mello didn't quiet catch. However, it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. "Interesting." A small, almost invisible smirk was on her lips as she walked away from Mello, returning to her place beside Max. Rolling his eyes, Mello looked over to Matt. "So? What's the plan Matt?" The way Mello said the redhead's name was as if he had to swallow something bitter. The sound of Mello snapping his chocolate and Near stacking dominos filled the room as everyone's attention was focused on Matt.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Matt and Mello would be alive and together. **_

_**A/N: This is my first fic! I hope you all enjoy it! For Matt, I depict him with red hair, despite what his official hair color is. Again, thank you for reading. **_

_**Numbered Days**_

_**Chapter Four**_

If you had asked Mello what he thought his response would be, he would tell you that Matt would shrug indifferently and go pull out his PSP. But this wasn't the Matt he knew. This was some foreign Matt that Mello didn't know existed. So, Mello was pretty much stunned at the words that left Matt's mouth. "Mind your own business Mello." Seemingly oblivious to the tension in the room, Max spoke up. "Hey, so Matt. If you're, you know, coming with us, we should get going. We had a gig planned, but dropped it when we found you." This seemed to grab Mello's attention; his anger from Matt's rude and dismissive response had not yet left him, so his words had a bite to them. "You any good?" Mello smirked for good measure; he would laugh his ass off if they actually sucked.  
>Sharing a look with the rest of the band, Max gave Mello a cocky smirk. "Is that a challenge?" Max motioned to the door. "All of our stuff is in the truck that's parked outside." He glanced over to Near, to see if that was cool. Near, however, couldn't have been more indifferent. "Do what you want" was his only response before being lost in his world of toys. Kaitlyn, Alice and Anthony began to leave the room to get their stuff as Max gently shrugged Matt off his shoulder so he could join them. "Be up in a minute. Matt, we have your guitar with us, too." Matt waved them off and called out his thanks as he watched them leave. After the door closed, and Matt could no longer hear their footsteps, he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Matt hesitantly turned around to see a thoroughly pissed off Mello.<p>

"What the fuck was that?" snarled Mello, with as much anger he could express. Matt fidgeted under Mello's gaze, resembling a small child who had gotten in trouble. "I don't know what you mean..." Matt mumbled, glancing around the room, while running a hand through his hair. Mello growled in warning. "Don't fuck with me Matt. Who are those people?" Matt met Mello's eyes, narrowing them slightly as if to challenge him. "I thought we made it clear; they're my band mates."

Fed up, Mello charged towards Matt, grabbed the front of his shirt and brought his face so close, their noses were almost touching. Mello's ice blue eyes stared Matt down, unwavering. "You know what I mean. Now, answer me again if you want to keep your face. What. The. Fuck. Was. That." No longer posing it as a question, Mello commanded Matt as though he was just another underling in the mafia. However, Matt was not intimidated. Taking Mello's hand and trying to ease his grip on his shirt, Matt spoke evenly. "They're my band mates. There's not much more to it than that." Once his shirt was no longer in Mello's hand, Matt pulled away and waited for the others to come back with their instruments.  
>Alice was the first to bust through the door, keyboard and stand in her arms. It was a simple black keyboard, but it seemed to be of high quality. She had a rather large grin on her face. Kaitlyn came in carrying in her bass;it was black with a solid white stripe running vertically along the bridge. At the top, of the bass, it was pointed like the horns of the devil while the bottom curled around to almost make a full circle. It was a good looking bass; Mello was almost impressed in the girl's taste. Anthony came in behind her holding two guitars. One was a Summit CT, with a sunburst coloring. The other was a black, sleek Schecter DAMIEN6. Anthony handed the sunburst guitar to Matt, who took it with a smile. Max, along with two other ex-SPK members, came in with his drum set. It was also black. Black seemed to be the band's favorite color or something. Due to the room's large layout, the band was able to set up their instruments without disturbing Near's elaborate display of dominoes. Once setting up the amps and speakers, the band got into position. Matt stood in the center, mic stand in front of him. Kaitlyn was to his right, and Anthony was to his left. Each of them also had a mic in front of them. Max was in the back, so that his loud playing wouldn't damage anyone's eardrums. Alice, somehow, looked out of place with her keyboard next to Kaitlyn. Mello couldn't see how a mere keyboard would up against all these electric instruments.<p>

* * *

><p>Soon enough, the band seemed ready to play. Mello pulled up a chair so he could see the band from this side; he wanted to see the band, not just Matt singing away. "Okay, here we go." After Matt spoke, Max was tapping his drumsticks, setting the band's beat.<p>

_The words are coming I feel terrible  
>Is it typical, for us to act like this<em>

The song started slowly; as Matt sang, only Kaitlyn's bass was playing.  
><em><br>Am I just another scene  
>From a movie that you've seen 100 times<em>

Cause baby you weren't the first, or the last, or the worst  
>And I've got to fill the blanks in this past with a verse<br>We could sit around and cry but frankly you're not worth it  
>Anymore<p>

Although soon enough, Max and the others joined in; the effect was electric. The room seemed to come alive. The ex-SPK members all looked up from their "work" to listen.

_So say hello to all the boys at the top of this table that you're under  
>Lipstick lullabies<br>This is sorry for the last time  
>And baby I understand that you're making new friends<br>This is how you get by  
>The moral this time is<br>Girls make boys cry  
>And I... <em>

Mello watched Matt sing; it was weird to say the least. Matt wasn't bad. On the contrary, he was actually pretty good. But it was weird seeing dorky old Matt looking...well like this. He was playing his guitar while leaning into the mic to sing. His lips were almost touching the mic as he sang, as if we were gonna make out with it or something. (A/N: LOL Sorry I had to.)

_On any other day we'd shoot the boy  
>But your simple toy<br>Had caused a scene like this  
>Leave him hanging on the walls<br>Just a picture in the hall  
>Like 100 more<em>

Consider this as a gift as you taste him on your lips  
>And he's making you scream with his hands on your hips<br>I hope he's leaving you empty baby this is just a fix  
>For such a simple. little. whore.<p>

Matt could've sworn he saw Matt smirk when he said those last few lines. When did lil' old Matty get so cocky?  
><em><br>So say hello to all the boys at the top of this table that you're under  
>Lipstick lullabies<br>This is sorry for the last time  
>And baby I understand that you're making new friends<br>This is how you get by  
>The moral this time is<br>Girls make boys cry  
>And<em>

_Your name remains the same_

_  
>All that has changed is this pretty face<br>So pull the trigger (Your name)  
>It never gets closer (remains the same)<br>You want to start over  
>But never start over<em>

Pull the trigger (All that has changed)

_  
>It never gets closer (is this pretty face)<br>You want to start over  
>But never start over<em>

Turning his attention to the other members, Mello had to give them credit. They were all perfectly in sync with one another. Anthony and Kaitlyn were playing their instruments while singing back up for Matt, and they were doing a pretty good job. Max was slamming away on his drums, looking like he wouldn't rather be anywhere else. They all seemed right at home; like they were born to do this.

_So say hello to all the boys at the top of this table that you're under  
>Lipstick lullabies<br>This is sorry for the last time  
>And baby I understand that you're making new friends<br>This is how you get by  
>The moral this time is<br>Girls make boys cry and I..._

Now the person Mello really had to give credit to was Alice. The band's sound was good; kinda heavy and punk-ish. Normally you would think that a keyboard would have no place in such a band. Wrong. This girl made it seem like keyboards _made_ the band. She composed a unique track that harmonized with the guitars and bass. Her playing was not so loud that it drowned out the others, or made it look like she was trying to hard, nor was it too soft to be heard.  
><em><br>Say hello_ _  
>Say hello<br>(Whoaaaa)  
>Lipstick lullabies<br>This is sorry for the last time!  
>And baby I understand that you're making new friends<br>This is how you get by  
>The moral this time is<br>Girls make boys cry and._

As the last lines of the song left Matt's lips, a few members of their makeshift audience stood up and applauded. Matt looked back and forth between Kaitlyn, Anthony, Alice and Max, giving each a smile. All of them put down (or stepped away from) their respective instruments before walking over to Mello. "So Mello, are we 'any good'?" Max mocked, making air quotes with her fingers. Max moved to Matt's side, casually flinging an arm over his shoulder, like the redhead had done to him before. Alice looked at the two boys, then glanced at Mello, again smirking in that "I know something you don't" way. Before Mello could open his mouth to retort, Kaitlyn stepped in. "The fuck are you talking about? We're fucking sick." She high-fived Anthony, who was standing beside her. "Nice to have you back, Matt."

Matt, however, didn't seem to be paying attention. Instead he seemed to watching Alice from the corner of his eye with his face was unreadable. He must have sensed that the attention of the group was focused on him, because he looked up and plastered a smile on his face.  
>After a few minutes of relaxing, the group had broken up into sections. Kaitlyn was chatting (to other people, it seemed like bickering) with Mello, with Anthony trying to keep the peace. Max was sitting on a chair, smoking a cigarette, clearly pleased with his performance. Meanwhile, Matt managed to pull Alice aside; he managed to sneak away to a secluded part of the room where they would not be overheard. Glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one had noticed them, Matt turned to Alice who was casually leaning against the wall. He glared her down as much as he could, although she did not seem fazed in the slightest. Instead, she looked rather amused. She was smirking and playing with her hair, and looked at Matt with seemingly innocent eyes. "What's wrong Matty? Not happy to see us?" Matt's glare intensified and ground his teeth. "Quit the act. Why are you here?" Alice sighed, like a child who has been told a game was over. Pushing herself away from the wall, Alice stood up straighter, matching Matt's glare with her own. "I think you know why, Matt."<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>The song was When I Get Home, You're So Dead by Mayday Parade<strong>_

_**Author's Note: Here is a link to the pics of the band's instruments! It's a link to my tumblr vanillaumbrella**_

.com/post/11797691649/band-instruments


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Matt and Mello would be alive and together. **_

_**A/N: This is my first fic! I hope you all enjoy it! For Matt, I depict him with red hair, despite what his official hair color is. **_

_**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited and/or read this fic! **_

_**Numbered Days**_

_**Chapter Four**_

* * *

><p>Matt's previous glare of anger changed to something akin to worry and surprise. "If I knew, I wouldn't be asking you. Now, tell me. Why are you here?" Alice rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Honestly Matt, we all came here to get you back. Nothing more and nothing less." She looked him dead in the eyes. "And you are coming back with us." Her tone showed that Matt had no opinion or decision; he was going back and that was that. Matt himself leaned against the wall Alice previously occupied. "I don't know Alice." He let some indifference and confusion leak into his voice as his gaze drifted to the floor. Alice seemed to soften up at the sight of such a pathetic Matt. "Listen, you do have a choice. I'm just telling you we're not going to make it easy for you." She motioned to the rest of the band, who were scattered about the room. "We all missed you and want you back." Matt shook his head at her words. "I can't go back. I-"<p>

Matt was cut off by the sound of someone banging on a door. Everyone looked either looked at the door, or at the monitors in the front of the room. The screens displayed a young woman; she had shoulder length black wavy hair and was wearing a business suit. Everyone began to walk to the center of the room, to get a better look. "Does everyone know where the fuck we are? Aren't we supposed to be well-hidden, Near?" Mello's aggravated voice filled the room, but was soon broken by a somewhat amused Kaitlyn. "Well look who it is. It'll be fun to see how pissed she is." Everyone's attention turned to her, waiting for an explanation. Realizing they were waiting for her to elaborate, Kaitlyn spoke as if they were all mentally retarded. "She's our manager, you dumb asses." Near, ignoring Kaitlyn, ordered for the woman to be let in. The door opened and the woman walked in; she was relatively young, in her mid-twenties at latest. Holding her head high, she haughtily walked over to the group. "Where the hell have you guys been? I had a show booked for you guys, and you just blew it off? This isn't some game, you know!" She was glaring at all of them, but her words seemed to be directed at Kaitlyn, who was snickering under her breath. The short woman seemed to see Matt out of the corner of her eye, and turned to face him head-on. "And you! Where do you think you have been? A year, and nothing! No note, no phone call. Nothing! Who do you think you are?" Matt rolled his eyes, dismissing her words, and smiled sarcastically. "Nice to see you too JD. Glad to see you missed me." Kaitlyn burst out laughing, the obvious anger on JD's face was apparently too much for her to contain.

After a few minutes of JD lecturing the band (and them subsequently ignoring her), they all relaxed and sat down. Anthony introduced Mello to JD, their manager. Max, apparently not interested in introductions, went over to his drum set and spun around on the stool. He picked up his drumsticks and started messing around with his drums; he actually sounded really good, even though he wasn't playing seriously. JD sighed, putting a hand on her forehead trying to will her migraine away. "It was such a good show! You guys would have done so well." She smiled weakly despite herself, looking at Matt. "Nice to have you back, dear." Matt opened his mouth to tell her that he was not "officially" back, but Alice clapped a hand over his mouth. "Isn't it? It's great to have Matt back with us." She turned so Matt could see the seemingly sweet (but threatening) smile on her face. "Right?" Not having the heart (or the balls) to correct Alice, Matt nodded weakly before Alice removed her hand and went over to talk with Max.

Mello couldn't help but be amused by the manager; she seemed like a perfectly pleasant person, as long as you didn't cross her. The band as a whole didn't seem like a bad group, although he would rather die than admit it. It seemed strange that such different people could get along so well. "So how did you all meet anyway?"

Anthony smiled as he explained. "Well, Kaitlyn and I have been friends since we were kids." He chuckled a little. "Her mom always thought that I would calm her down. Unsuccessful, as it turns out. Anyway, we met Max when we were in high school and we decided to make a band. We did nothing big; talent shows, on the streets, stuff like that. When we were 15, we came to England for summer vacation because Max has some relatives there. Back then, our band wasn't really anything, but when we met Alice, things just kinda...clicked. She shortly brought Matt along, and we all unanimously voted him to be our lead singer. We came back to the States, and that's where JD found us." Mello's interest perked up. How did Alice meet Matt then? Matt would have been in Wammy's at that time...

As Mello was thinking of different scenarios of how Matt met these people, JD stood up. "Well, now that I know that you all are alive and well, I should go. I need to re-find you guys a gig, after all." This apparently caught the rest of the band's attention. It seemed that they had lost track of time, and it was already evening. After a few minutes, they had put their instruments back in the truck and were back in the SPK headquarters, saying their goodbyes.

"Matt, I'll call you for rehearsals, so leave your phone on. Here's the address, and if you need to call us, all of our numbers haven't changed, so-"

"Jesus Christ, Alice, let the poor guy breathe, will ya?" Max came up from behind Alice and gave Matt a hug. "See what you've been missing?" He gave a cheeky grin, before giving Matt a peck on the cheek. "See ya." Releasing Matt, Max backed away, walking out the door. Despite Max's seemingly awkward and rushed exit, Matt could tell that there was no bad blood between them. After Anthony called over to Kaitlyn to tell her that they were leaving (who was seemed to be busy trying to braid Mello's hair), the group left the room with smiles on their faces.

Sighing as the door shut, Mello plopped down on one of the couches in the room and shut his eyes. Bunch of noisy... "Mello." The sound of Near's voice made Mello's eyes pop open. "The fuck do you want Near? I am not in the mood for you-" Nothing could have prepared Mello or Matt for the words that came out of Near's mouth.  
>"I want you to become L."<p>

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><p><em><strong>Review? :)<strong>_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Matt and Mello would be alive and together. **_

_**A/N: This is my first fic! I hope you all enjoy it! For Matt, I depict him with red hair, despite what his official hair color is. **_

_**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited and/or read this fic! **_

_**Numbered Days**_

_**Chapter Six**_

Thank god Mello wasn't drinking anything at the time, otherwise he would have spit it out all over the table in front of him. "W-what?" Disbelief suddenly turned into caution and wariness. "What do you mean, Near? I'm not in the mood for games." Near, however simply stared at Mello, twirling his hair. "It is not a game, Mello. I am offering you to become L. However, there is a catch. We will be L."

As these words left Near's mouth, Mello's reaction was instantaneous: he stood up and was damn near close to throwing something at the albino. "Near." He snarled the name, as if he were talking to Satan himself. "I have no intention on working with you." Near, despite the obvious contempt in Mello's voice, remained calm. "I understand this. That is why I have come up with a compromise." Mello scoffed at the idea of compromising with Near; it was like mixing water and oil. Near continued regardless. "You and I would work separately. I would take on a case, while you worked on a different, separate case. We would only work together if we had a case we could not solve alone, like the Kira case. Does this sound fair?"

Matt couldn't believe his ears. Mello's dream was about to come true. Mello was finally going to be L. All those hours upon hours of studying and hard work were finally going to pay off! Mello would finally stop competing with Near and be able to be content with his life. Then...why wasn't Matt happy? Matt was snapped by his thoughts by the sound of Mello's voice.

"I'll let you know when I come to a decision." Wait, what? Why wasn't Mello grabbing at this opportunity? Why was he hesitating? And why was Matt happy, deep deep down? Near did not seem surprised, and merely nodded. "I understand." With his business finished, he turned back to knock down his dominoes. The sound of them falling echoed through the room.

* * *

><p>Matt awoke, staring at the white ceiling of his room at SPK. (Although technically it should be called the new L's headquarters.) Matt sat up and yawned, stretching lazily. He glanced at the clock: eleven o'clock. The date was flashing in the corner of the digital clock: January 31st. 13 days left. Pulling on his goggles from the bedside table and dragging himself out of bed, Matt used the bathroom that was connected to his room. He looked at himself in the mirror; his red hair was sticking out all over the place. His large orange goggles blocked his eyes from view, the way he liked it. He looked relatively healthy. It was hard to believe he was going to die. The thought was planted in his head like a cancer. As time went on, Matt knew that it would spread more and more, until one day it consumed him completely.<p>

**(A/N: I am lazy when it comes to writing meaningless events. i.e. Matt walking out of his room, etc etc. Forgive me for this) **

Matt was lounging on the couch, bored out of his mind. Mello wasn't around, and Matt didn't feel like picking up a conversation with Near. That was when his phone rang; glancing at the caller I.D., Matt picked up the phone and put it to his ear. "Hey, what's up?"

"You have ten minutes to get here, or else I get to dropkick you into next week. I will text the address to you." And with those kind words, Kaitlyn hung up the phone. Matt couldn't help but shake his head, smiling. That girl really was something else. Walking quickly out of the room and looking up where they were meeting, Matt made his way to his car. Sure, it had some damage (damn police), but it could still run. Opening the door and sitting in the driver's seat, Matt tore off a blue sticky note off of the steering wheel. Near's handwriting occupied the small square, leaving a short and concise message. _Don't go out driving, unless you want to be shot again. If you do go out, just know that we won't be saving you again. _Little turd couldn't be helpful in the slightest, could he? Stepping out of the car and leaning on the hood, Matt pulled out a cigarette. He vaguely wondered where Mello was if they weren't allowed to go out. Maybe it was due to the fact that Mello himself as never on the news during the kidnapping that he was allowed to leave at will without the risk of being attacked by some Kira-supporter. Damn bastard could have brought him along. Somewhere deep inside his brain, Matt also considered the possibility that Mello had agreed to Near's compromise and was already working on some case. Ignoring this thought, Matt called Alice to explain his situation and to have her pick him up.

* * *

><p>The band had rented out some warehouse to practice in; it was pretty empty so there was plenty of room for their instruments, amps, speakers, mics, etc. There were three couches and two armchairs in the back of the room; beat-up and ragged looking, but still usable. By the time Alice and Matt walked in, it had already been twenty minutes since Kaitlyn's phone call. When she saw the pair, she crossed her arms in a clearly unamused fashion. "Come here so I can kick your ass." Max came up behind Kaitlyn, a huge grin on his face. He rested his arms on her shoulders, draping his body over hers. "You two better not have been late cause you were sucking face."<p>

Rolling his eyes, Matt walked over to Max, pulling him off of Kaitlyn. "You know Alice and I aren't like that." He gave Max a peck on the lips as reassurance, before walking over to where his guitar was. He smiled tenderly as he pulled the strap over his shoulder; he kinda missed playing. Smirking over to Kaitlyn, who was silently fuming (a rare occurrence). "So? We practicing or not?" Huffing at Matt's nonchalance, she walked over to Matt, punched him in the arm, and walked over to put on her bass.

* * *

><p>The band had been practicing for several hours and decided to take a break. They were lounging on the couches and armchairs when JD came bursting through the door to the warehouse. "Bow before me, for I am the goddess of your world!" Everyone in the room was unfazed by her entrance, instead waiting for her to continue. Seeing that no one would humor her, JD cleared her throat. "I have a new gig for you guys. Tonight, 7 o'clock, at Native Tongue. Don't blow it this time." Although she said this with a smile, and said it in a teasing manner, the band could tell she was half-serious. Alice and Anthony stood up and gave JD a hug in appreciation before turning to the rest of the group. "We have three hours to come up with a setlist, get dressed, and get there. A bit short notice, huh JD?" Matt smiled at her, showing her he was kidding. Catching on, JD feigned apology. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Next time, I'll book you guys a place several months in advance, so you can get ready." Laughing a bit, she pulled Matt into a headlock and ruffled his hair. "Don't blow it, okay? You guys will do fine, so just make sure to show up." Releasing Matt, who was now trying to fix his even messier hair, JD made her way back to the door.<p>

Anthony spoke up, surprised. JD usually stayed with them make the setlist or to hear them practice. "You're not staying?" JD stopped and turned, flashing a huge grin. "Not this time. I'm helping someone out. I'll be at the show though." Waving and wishing luck to the group, JD closed the door behind her. Everyone was now back on their feet, excited to finally play in public with the full band. Max was the first to run to his stool by his drums. He was banging on the cymbals, clearly excited. "Come on, come on! Hurry up!"

**A/N: I'm sorry about the jumping around. I will stop the chapter here for now. I was planning on adding more, but I realize that the next "part" will probably be long enough to be it's own chapter. The club Native Toungue is an actual club in London. (I google'd live band clubs in England. I'm lazy and didn't want to come up with a corny/weird name so...)**

**SO! Tell me what you think! Where do you think Mello is? What exactly is Matt's relationship with Max? How will the show go? And will Matt ever tell the band that his days are numbered?**


	7. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Matt and Mello would be alive and together. **_

_**A/N: This is my first fic! I hope you all enjoy it! For Matt, I depict him with red hair, despite what his official hair color is. Again, thank you for reading. **_

_**Italics are the song lyrics.**_

_**Lyrics in parenthesis are back-up vocals**_

_**Numbered Days**_

_**Chapter Seven**_

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><p>hey arrived at the club fifteen minutes before they were to perform. The club had a large stage in the back of the room which was well lit. Tables and couches lined the room, and there as a bar on the right side. People were dancing in the space between the stage and bar. Several people looked at Matt and the others as they walked in, seemingly intrigued by the band. Matt was genuinely surprised to see a certain blond and manager approach them. Mello had a pair of sunglasses on, and his hair covered the left side of his face, to hide his scar. He was in his normal attire of leather and a black coat, and a chocolate bar in hand.<p>

Mello took in the band's appearance; they were in their performing attire, as Mello had seen them wear when he first met them. What surprised him was Matt's change in clothes; for as long as Mello had known him, Matt only wore striped shirts and jeans. The man before him was wearing black skinny jeans, a white v-neck T-shirt and a black leather vest. Well well, when did Matt get that? Giving the group a smirk, Mello turned back into the crowd of dancing people with JD, probably to get a good view of their performance.

* * *

><p>Soon enough, the band was on stage, looking out at the mass of dancing people. Not bothering to make an introduction for themselves, Max started playing (quite loudly at that) his drums. Anthony, Matt and Kaitlyn instantly joined in, causing several people to look up. Again, Alice managed to hold her own in this sort of atmosphere. Their playing mellowed out slightly as Matt put his mouth close to the mic as he began to sing.<p>

_Picture perfect, that's what it seems  
>They've got this whole thing figured out, but not me<br>We'll leave this place behind, doesn't that feel right?  
>Picture perfect, it's picture perfect<em>

_Through the fire  
>Through the smoke and the flames<br>In my reflection in the window  
>Match in hand and I'm running<em>

Once again, the band's sound grew louder, giving off the loud punk-rock sound they seemed to love playing. Mello could see a ghost of a smile on Matt's lips.

_Everyone's screaming "You're never gonna get there"  
>Waking up shaking feels much better<br>And everyone's saying "Shape up and get a life"  
>If nothing goes wrong then how will it feel right<br>Picture perfect doesn't mean much to me_

_Is it true what they're saying  
>I gotta settle down in place just like the rest<br>Living the dream, is this what it feels like?  
>Picture perfect, it's picture perfect<em>

Matt drew his mouth away slightly, giving the affect that his singing was a faded part of the song. Tearing his attention away from Matt, Mello glanced at the other members. Kaitlyn had this huge grin on her face, as if she was on Cloud 9. Actually, Max had the same sort of smile as he bashed away on the drums. They seemed to be the ones who loved being in the band the most. Anthony and Alice seemed to be having fun, but didn't have huge grins. They seemed to be the more quiet types of people.

_The days are fading  
>Like they're one in the same<br>I point the finger and it shows me  
>I'm to blame and I'm running<em>

_Everyone's screaming "You're never gonna get there"  
>Waking up shaking feels much better<br>And everyone's saying "Shape up and get a life"  
>If nothing goes wrong then how will it feel right<br>Picture perfect doesn't mean much to me  
><em>  
>While remaining stagnant himself, the people around Mello seemed to be enjoying Rush's performance; they were jumping around and dancing like crazy. While listening to the lyrics, Mello vaguely wondered who wrote them. The song seemed to be about how the person's life wasn't perfect, but they were happy with it. That pretty much sounded like all of them; being a rock band wasn't exactly conventional.<p>

_I'm saving up time to figure this out  
>But I can't believe I've waited this long<br>I've seen the truth in another light  
>This is everything I never wanted to be<em>  
><em><br>Wake up, shape up you're never gonna get there  
>If nothing goes wrong then how would it feel right<br>Wake up, shape up you're never gonna get there  
>It's picture perfect, it's picture perfect<em>

Mello still had a hard time accepting this strange turn of events. If you told Mello a week ago that Matt was in some rock band, he would have laughed in your face. Yet, here he was, in the front row listening to them in a club. Fidgeting slightly with a box in his jacket pocket, Mello scowled slightly. Matt apparently was almost done with the song, as he was singing the final chorus with more energy than ever.  
><em><br>Everyone's screaming "You're never gonna get there"  
>Waking up shaking feels much better<br>And everyone's saying "Shape up and get a life"  
>If nothing goes wrong then how will it feel right<br>Picture perfect doesn't mean much to me_

* * *

><p>After a quick introduction of who they actually were, the band walked off the stage and went to find Mello and JD. Both graciously congratulated them, but JD seemed to be much more enthusiastic. Maybe it was the alcohol in her system. She draped her arm over Matt, swaying slightly. "Ya know, Matty, it's so great that you're back." Her voice had a slight slur, as she spoke loudly, as if she feared Matt wouldn't hear you. "We should celebrate. Grab some booze and," she raised her fist in vigor, "celebrate!" Before any words could come out of Matt's mouth, Alice stomped over, pulled JD away from Matt, and glared. "No one is getting drunk!" And with that, she took Matt's hand and motioned for the group to follow her. Max, who seemed to be looking forward to a little "celebration" seemed slightly crestfallen, but followed anyway. Before he lost sight of the boy, Mello grabbed the boy's shoulder to get his attention. Max turned to listen. Mello had to yell in order to be heard in the loud place. "Hey, just a question! You guys are pretty decent. Who writes your songs?"<p>

Max seemed put off by the question, but then broke out into a huge shit-eating grin. He also had to yell in order to be heard by Mello. "Oh? You don't know?" He laughed a bit at Mello, which only agitated the blond. "Some friend." All previous amusement was gone as Max glared at Mello. "It's Matt, dipshit."

**A/N: Dun dun dun. How will Mello react to finding out that, not only was Matt in a band and not tell him, but also is the band's songwriter?**

**The song was Picture Perfect by Every Avenue**

**SO! Tell me what you think! Do you think Matt will ever tell the band that his days are numbered?**


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Matt and Mello would be alive and together. **_

_**A/N: This is my first fic! I hope you all enjoy it! For Matt, I depict him with red hair, despite what his official hair color is. Again, thank you for reading. **_

_**Numbered Days**_

_**Chapter Eight**_

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><p>After leaving the club, the band hopped in the van and drove off to the Warehouse. JD hitched a ride with them, while Mello followed on his bike. After about ten minutes of driving, Alice turned off the car and opened her door. Everyone else followed suit as Mello took of his helmet. The walk inside was loud and energetic. JD decided to burst out into song, with Max joining in, laughing in between verses. Anthony seemed to be trying to prevent a migraine as Kaitlyn started up another argument with Mello in the background. Alice, who seemingly was uninterested in what was going on around her, turned to Matt. She looked at him dead in the eyes, speaking in a low voice. "You can't hide from it forever." This caused Matt to look at her with surprise. "Hide what?" But apparently that was all Alice had to say, for she walked away from him, pretending not to have heard him. Shaking his head, Matt tried to decipher what she meant...<p>

Once they were in the main part of the warehouse (where their instruments were held), Max turned around to face Matt. "Oi, where's Mello and Kaitlyn?" And true to Max's word, Matt turned around to see Kaitlyn and Mello no where to be seen. "I'll go see what happened." Max announced; Matt, being curious, followed along. They walked back outside to see Kaitlyn and Mello. However, they weren't yelling at each other, or pushing one another around. Oh no, Mello had Kaitlyn pressed against the side of the building, his hands on her hips, and lips on hers. Kaitlyn, likewise had her arms draped over the blond's shoulders, one hand knotting itself into Mello's blond hair. Max, clearly amused, cupped a hand over his lips to project his voice. "Careful Mello, you may catch an STD from that one." Breaking away instantly with wide eyes, the couple stepped away from the building at each other. Kaitlyn, not amused that she was interrupted, glared at Max. "What the actual fuck Max? Can't you see we were busy?" She stomped over to the boy, who continued to laugh his ass off. Matt looked over to see whether Mello seemed affected by their discovery. As Matt had predicted, Mello seemed generally unaffected. Seeing that Matt was looking at him, Mello smirked, then flipped him off. Arrogant bastard. Running a hand through his hair, Matt turned to Kaitlyn. "Really? Dry sex out here?" Kaitlyn looked over to Matt, stuck out her tongue, and flipped him off. "You're just jealous you're not getting any."

Rolling his eyes, Matt went over to Max, threw his arm over his shoulder and began to walk back inside. What did Kaitlyn mean by that? It's not like he was interested in Mello anyway; they were best friends. Nothing more and nothing less. As if sensing his discomfort, Max stopped walking, making Matt turn to face him. "Max? Is something-" Before Matt could finish, Max cut him off with his lips. The kiss was chaste, but was not any less passionate. Matt smiled into the kiss before sucking on Max's bottom lip. Max groaned, opening his mouth as he tightened his hold on Matt. Slipping his tongue into Max's warm mouth, Matt released a sigh of contentedness. They stayed there for several minutes, simply mapping each others mouths with their tongues. A year is a long ass time to not see your boyfriend.

* * *

><p>After some time of getting "re-acquainted", the group was back in the main room; everyone seemed to be in high spirits. Anthony had turned on a stereo in the corner, blasting some pretty loud music as everyone hung out, danced, andor talked. Kaitlyn and Mello were pretty much attached at the hip, which caused Max to snicker. Alice, who had her eye on the clock, suddenly turned to everyone, turning down the stereo so the others could hear her. She had a beer in her hand, which she raised in Matt's direction. "Just wanted to be the first to say this: Happy Twentieth Birthday Matt." She took a swig and raised the volume on the stereo once more as the others wished Matt a happy birthday. Matt thanked them with a gracious smile on his face, and shared a kiss with Max. He seemed rather happy actually. He probably didn't think that he would live to see twenty. Everyone had a beer in hand, except for Matt. (Alice wouldn't let him within three feet of it.)

The night went on with more alcohol, dancing, and talking. Mello, when he wasn't talking (slash "arguing") with Kaitlyn, would look over to Matt. He seemed pretty happy, carefree. He was with Max most of the time, either laughing or making out. He occasionally tried to sneak a bottle of beer, but Alice always caught him, earning him a smack to the head. The night dragged on, people passing out on the couches or on the floor. When it hit around four AM, everyone was either asleep or had gone home, except for Matt and Mello. Mello, having a headache from the hours of blasting music, turned the stereo off and walked over to Matt. He fiddled with a small box in his coat pocket as he approached. Matt, clearing away empty beer cases, was seemingly unaware of Mello's presence. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Mello tapped on his shoulder. Laughing at the gamer's stupidity, Mello tossed him the small wrapped box. "Happy birthday, you dork."

Matt looked at Mello with surprise. He remembered? Was that why Mello wasn't around earlier that day? Ripping the wrapping paper away, the box turned out to be the game box to the new Pokemon game. Looking up at Mello with astonishment in his eyes, Matt found that his mouth had gone dry. The game had been released here in Japan, but Matt wanted the English version that was to be released in the States in the next month. How had Mello known? As if reading his mind, Mello spoke up. "You're not hard to figure out Matt." Laughing at this statement, Matt smiled down at the game in his hand. However, Matt's smile faded as time went on. Would he be alive long enough to finish it? Maybe it was the fact that it was his birthday (Matt hasn't liked celebrating his birthday in years) that he was having sad thoughts...or maybe it was because he was tired of putting on a false bravado that he was happy he was twenty. Either way, Matt's face fell into a slight frown as he sat down on the floor. Mello was probably giving him a strange look, but he didn't care. For a few moments, Matt wanted to grieve about his impending doom. How Matt wished he could just cry and tell Mello everything...but he couldn't. He wouldn't...couldn't bring himself to tell him. Not if he could help it. Matt smiled sadly, feigning that he was down about his birthday. "It's nothing to celebrate, you know..." Mello smiled sadly back at him, extending a hand to the gamer. "I wouldn't say that." Well hot damn, was Mello being nice? Smirking while taking the blond's hand, Matt spoke with his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Finally releasing all that sexual tension make you loosen up?" Punching Matt on the arm, Mello smirked, neither agreeing nor denying.

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><p><strong>AN: What is this? Mello is with Kaitlyn? What do you guys think? SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS! :D Thank you for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Matt and Mello would be alive and together. **_

_**A/N: This is my first fic! I hope you all enjoy it! For Matt, I depict him with red hair, despite what his official hair color is. Again, thank you for reading. **_

_**Numbered Days**_

_**Chapter Nine**_

* * *

><p>For the next few days, nothing earth-shattering happened; the band practiced everyday, and Mello tagged along. However, it was during these few days that Mello had noticed a change in Matt. The Matt he knew was generally anti-social, hated going outside, loud people (except for Mello himself), and being in the spotlight. The only thing the redhead didn't hate were video games and Mello. Then, why would he associate himself with the group called Rush? Kaitlyn and Max were far from quiet, and Alice and Anthony struck up a conversation with Matt frequently. They made him lead singer for God's sake. Who in their right mind would put Matt in front of a crowd? But they did...and the thing was was that Matt was good. Not just mediocre, but genuinely good. Mello never saw Matt pull out his signature Nintendo DS once; no, this new Matt seemed to only care about guitar, singing and songwriting. But as soon as they were alone, Matt would go back to the old Matt. The Matt Mello had befriended back in Wammy's. Several times Mello had tried to talk to discuss Matt's schizophrenic behavior, but as soon as Mello began to approach the topic, said redhead would find something else to do and walk away.<p>

'What the actual fuck is wrong with him?' It was beyond frustrating thinking you know someone one minute, and then have them act like a complete different person the next. And then there was this Alice chick. Who the fuck did she think she was? She seemed to always be around Matt, telling him what to do or other bullshit. Mello still could not shake the impression he had seen her before. In L.A., maybe? It irritated Mello to no end that she seemed to know something he didn't. He was currently glaring down said woman from across the room; the band was practicing yet again, with Mello in the back leaning against the wall. 'Damn woman. What the fuck does she know?' The band seemed to be wrapping up, since it was already early evening. Everyone was putting down their instruments, talking about when the next rehearsal would be and other details. That's when Mello saw it; Alice had put her hand to her mouth and started to bite her nails. Not the normal nail-biting habit that other people had, no. The way she did it showed that she had not developed a habit of biting her nails, but rather biting things in general. Her appearance made Mello think of a young girl with short black hair; someone of who he hadn't seen for four years...'There's no way...'

Adding to his suspicion, the girl took out a piece of gum from her pocket and popped it in her mouth. Mello's eyes widened in shock. 'No. Fucking. Way.' Regaining his composure, Mello waited quietly for everyone to leave. Even when Kaitlyn had asked him to go out, he told her he had prior engagements. Matt seemed to be concerned by Mello's behavior, and asked him if he was alright. Again, Mello waved it off, and told Matt to go back without him. Although reluctant, Matt left. One by one, everyone left until only Mello and Alice were left. Alice, who seemed to have been expecting this encounter, met Mello's eyes and smirked. "Finally pieced it together, huh Mello? Take a seat. We have things to discuss." She gestured to one of the armchairs, as she sat on the couch. Not wanting to listen to this arrogant person, Mello sat beside her on the couch. "Now tell me what you know, Alice. Or should I say Number Four at Wammy's House." He sneered the last part.

Alice, clearly unimpressed, motioned for Mello to carry on. "Yes, we both know who I am Mello. Now answer me: what will you do now that you know?" Oh this girl was asking for a fist to the jaw. Managing to restrain himself, Mello spoke evenly, business-like. "Tell me why you are here and why you brought Matt here." Alice, seemed to be caught off guard by the latter question. "And what makes you think I brought Matt here? Have you considered Matt chose this?" Mello scoffed at this. "You know Matt, he would prefer a video game than human company." Alice grew very angry, very quickly. "No, Mello actually, I know Matt, but you don't." There was a hard bite to her words, which caused Mello's anger to grow as well. "Don't you dare say I don't know him. Don't you dare say that I don't know my best friend!" Alice laughed bitterly, "Best friend? Is that what you call someone who disappears for three years, then reappears just to perform a suicide mission?"

Mello growled in warning. "You don't know what you're talking about." Alice shook her head. "Oh, I do know Mello. I know more than you think I do. After all, I'm the one who had to pick up the pieces you so cruelly left behind." Mello was left speechless. Matt and he had never discussed what had happened in the three years they were separated, or at least in detail. Mello told Matt he was in the mafia, but he did not give details. Likewise, Matt had said he was at Wammy's, bored out of his mind. Mello, having sobered at this, spoke softly. "What happened?" Alice, having calmed down slightly (but still had a bitter edge to her voice), looked away. "I can't say. I promised Matt I would never tell you." Mello opened his mouth to protest, but Alice cut him off. "But I can tell you as much as I can."

"It all started when you left. Roger refused to tell anyone what had happened, but you can't get away with much at an orphanage filled with geniuses. Anyway, news spread like wildfire that you and Near had left to catch Kira. With you two gone, Matt automatically became Number One." She looked down sadly, her voice soft. "He was never the same, you know. The only one he ever opened up to was you. With you gone, he..." Shaking her head, as if to say she couldn't say anything more, she continued, strength back in her voice. "After a while, I managed to get through to him. He was guarded, of course, but he talked to me. With you gone, Roger had grown concerned that Matt had become to isolated in video games. He told Matt he had to learn something 'productive'. Of course, Matt was indifferent to this suggestion; he told me he planned to skip the class anyway. The class that Roger signed Matt up for was guitar." Mello nodded in understanding; it made sense. How else would have Matt ever picked up an instrument otherwise? "He was a genius, as expected. Far better than most of the other kids." She smiled faintly at the memory. "I remember the first time I heard him play, it nearly blew me away. After that, I told him I was part of a band." Mello gave her an incredulous look. "But the others aren't from Wammy's." Alice nodded. "You're not the only one who snuck out of the House Mello. Anyway, what Anthony told you _(A/N: See chapter 5)_ was not a lie. They came to England for summer vacation because of Max's family. I met them when I snuck out sometimes. As you know, I played the keyboard and one thing led to another. Soon enough, I was planning to leave with them back to L.A." There was a flicker of sadness in her eyes, but it disappeared behind a bravado of pride. "I told them about Matt, and they immediately wanted to meet him. The rest is history."

"So, you're telling me that Matt just waltzed into your lives, and you welcomed him with open arms?" Mello had a hard time believing that that was where the story ended. Alice shook her head, "Of course there are other details that I cannot say, but pretty much, yes." She smiled at Mello. "Although he and Max pretty much hit it off at the beginning." Mello did not return her smile, but merely scowled. "What the hell happened to him?" Alice's smiled faded, turning her body away from the blond. "Like I said, he changed Mello." Mello's body lurched forward in protest, eyes narrowed. "He's still the same Matt! He's just...different with you guys!" Alice nodded slowly. "That may be true...but you know something?" She paused, probably just to keep him in suspense for a few moments longer. "On the plane to L.A., he thanked me for taking him with us. But he also warned me about something. He told me, 'You know I'll leave if he ever needs me.' I honestly didn't think you would need him, Mello. I thought that you had wiped him from your life." She shook her head in disbelief. "And then, three years later, one minute, Matt gets a phone call late at night, and the next, he's out the door."

Alice stood up, straight and proud, but there was a sad look to her. "He never stopped hoping, you know. Everyday, he checked his phone for new messages. When he thought that everyone was asleep, he would go on his laptop looking through pages upon pages of code. I think he was looking for you." She smiled down at him. "He's still the loyal Matt you know Mello. He's just hiding it from the rest of us." With her business finished, Alice grabbed her jacket by the door and left. Mello sat alone on the couch, numbly processing what he was told.

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><p>AN: This chapter was a fun one to write. Alice is so awesome hahahaha

I hope you liked it! Please review/favorite!


	10. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Matt and Mello would be alive and together. **_

_**A/N: This is my first fic! I hope you all enjoy it! For Matt, I depict him with red hair, despite what his official hair color is. Again, thank you for reading. **_

_**Italics are song lyrics  
><strong>_

_**Numbered Days**_

_**Chapter Ten**_

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><p>The days passed faster and faster, it seemed. Day Seven. One week left to live. Matt felt as though he were a living time bomb, just waiting to explode. What had he done in these last seven days? Sure, he had been practicing and performing, and spending time with Max, but somehow he felt that he was missing something. It was like he had to remember to do something important, but couldn't think of what it was. When he wasn't out with Max or the band, Matt would sit in the room Near had given him, playing his Pokemon game. Now was one of those times. Mello wasn't around, it seemed, so Matt was on the floor leaning against the bed playing.<p>

Time flew by and before he knew it, Matt had spent four hours playing his Nintendo DS. That's what was great about video games; they were easy to get lost in. They were predictable, and when things got rough, you could always turn it off and start over. Sighing, Matt saved his game and laid it on the bed. Still sitting on the floor, Matt lit a cigarette and watched the smoke disappear into the air. Disturbing the peace and quiet, Mello kicked the door open, closed it with his foot, and sat on Matt's bed like he owned it. "Put that out. It's disgusting." Mello's nose wrinkled in disgust. Obeying Mello, although grumbling about how it was a waste, Matt looked over to the blond. He was snapping a chocolate bar, as always, eyes focused yet not seeing. This is how Mello acted when he was troubled or thinking about something important. "What's wrong?" Mello's eyes snapped back to Matt, scowling. "Nothing." Mello was a horrific liar sometimes. Getting up and sitting on the bed next to Mello, Matt waited for the blond to continue. He always did. You didn't have to ask Mello again; he hated it when people asked the same questions over and over. If he wanted to tell you, he would, so all you had to do was wait. Like Matt predicted, Mello let out a aggravated groan. "It has to be a trick! Damn little bastard." Now, it didn't take a genius to know that Mello was referring to the albino that he owed his life to. "What did Near do?" Mello's hand instantly punched him in the arm. "His compromise, of course. Or at least, that's what he calls it. There has to be a catch. It can't be that simple!" Matt sat quietly as Mello stood up and paced the room.

"Why not Mel? I mean, he's giving you what you always wanted...unless you've changed your mind." There it was again; that sick feeling in his stomach. He didn't want to talk about this anymore. Matt couldn't think of why he didn't want to, but he just didn't. Mello's response was instantaneous. "Of course I still want it Matt. I didn't go through hell and back to walk away from it." Of course Mello would still want to become like the only person he ever admired. Matt was stupid to think that Mello had changed his mind... "It has to a trick. There has to be a loophole or something." Matt shook his head. "I don't think so Mel. It's a simple agreement. Near even said that the pay would be 50-50. It's pretty perfect." Near really did think of everything; he had analyzed everything that Mello might have had a problem with and dealt with it accordingly. "Why are you hesitating?" The question came out of Matt's mouth before he realized what he had said. To be honest, he was intrigued by the answer but didn't want to overstep the boundaries Mello had so carefully placed. For a few moments, Mello did not move. He had stopped pacing and did not speak. The words that came out of his mouth were the last words Matt would think Mello would speak. "I'm afraid."

Matt's breath caught in his throat. This is the person who prepared a suicide mission with a clear head. This is the person who blew up a building so he wouldn't die. This is the person who left the safety of the home he had ever known at the age of fourteen. As if sensing the redhead's thoughts, Mello heard Mello chuckle. "It's stupid, isn't it? I shouldn't be, but I am. I don't want it to be pulled out from underneath me. I don't think I could handle that." Mello's back was facing him, but Matt was sure that Mello was on the verge of tears (both from sadness and from frustration). Matt stood up, and walked in front of the blond. He looked him in the eye, smiling. "It won't." Mello blinked in surprise, then half-smiled, half-smirked. "Yeah. I...think I'll go through with it Matt." The words made Matt's stomach drop, and his heart seem heavy. Mello was going to leave again. He was going off to some place that Matt couldn't follow. He was running off ahead, not bothering to look back. Of course, Matt couldn't let Mello think that he wasn't genuinely happy for him (he was, but the sinking feeling in his stomach conquered his joy). Plastering a smile of his face, Matt congradulated Mello, and told him to tell Near as soon as possible. Listening to Matt for once, Mello left the room with an air of confidence Matt hadn't seen in a while. Once the door shut and the sound of footsteps faded away, Matt walked back over to the bed and took out an orange notebook from underneath.

Matt flipped through the book, looking for a blank page. This was where he wrote upcoming songs; there were several pages with miscellaneous one-liners, but Matt felt like he needed to write something from scratch. Grabbing a pen from his bedside table, Matt sat on his bed, and began to write.

_Well I thought that we could sit around and, talk for hours  
>About things I couldn't say to you<br>And things that we could never do and,  
>This conversation has had no face<br>When the words take days you can re-write and erase anything_

The best kinds of lyrics were the honest kind, right?

_You know my heart (so tell me honestly, did you ever really want this?)  
>Knows all these<em>

And I'll borrow words from all my favorite paragraphs  
>To write a ballad while we say the things<br>We'd hope would mean the most to me  
>And each line is sent<br>I have found a new pages of hope for the days  
>when I feel like I've lost everything<p>

The blond always managed to make him speechless. He had so much to say but could never do so.

_You know my heart (so tell me honestly, did you ever really want this?)  
>Knows all these lines (cause my jealous heart really can't take that)<br>So I'll sing this song for everyone that's come out lost_

Matt nodded after writing that last line. They were all kind of lost, weren't they? You couldn't be at Wammy's and not have lost something precious.

_But, I'll be OK (Is that what you want me to say?)  
>It's called breakup<br>Cause it's broken  
>But I'll be OK (is that what you want me to say?)<br>It's called breakup  
>Cause it's broken<em>

_I'll be OK  
>Is that what you want me to say?<br>It's called Breakup  
>Cause it's broken<em>

Matt didn't really know where the "break up" line came from, but he had to make it relate-able, not a self-reflective piece.

_I'll be OK, is that what you want me to say?  
>Cause it's broken<br>And you were just about to tell me  
>How you meant that you were sorry<br>And the lines we've said that  
>Never meant the world to you<br>Broke me down  
>lets keep it slow<br>Take every note and every page that takes you longer  
>The cherry flavored kisses<br>Well I taste them  
>Do you miss it?<em>

Did Mello expect Matt to not feel anything that he was going to become L? That he would let Mello walk away from his again? That all the time they had spent together meant nothing?

_I'll be OK  
>Is that what you want me to say?<br>It's called Breakup  
>Cause it's broken<em>

Well I thought that we could sit around and talk for hours  
>About things I couldn't say to you<br>And things that we could never do

He really thought that he could open up to Mello; tell him the truth about...everything.

Matt put down his pen, after about an hour of furious scribbling. Suddenly exhausted, Matt flopped down on the bed. Lighting another cigarette, Matt re-read the words he just wrote. He could practically hear the ballad's melody. Jotting down the title of the song at the top of the paper, Matt put the notebook and pen back underneath his bed. Repeating the song title to no one in particular, Matt watched the smoke disappear into the air. "The Last Something That Meant Anything..."

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><p>AN: Gasp! Two chapters in one day? What is this madness? Hahaha. Please review :)

The song was The Last Something That Meant Anything by Mayday Parade


	11. Chapter 11

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Matt and Mello would be alive and together. **_

_**A/N: This is my first fic! I hope you all enjoy it! For Matt, I depict him with red hair, despite what his official hair color is. Again, thank you for reading. **_

_**Numbered Days**_

_**Chapter Eleven**_

Two days passed by, and Mello noticed that Matt seemed to be ignoring him, even more than he previously did. He would practice longer, stay out later, and leave him room at obscure hours int the morning. Just yesterday, Mello heard Matt leave at about five A.M. Maybe this was merely the blond's imagination; besides he didn't have time to contemplate the redhead's new habits. He spoke to Near about accepting his offer, and the albino seemed pleased. However, Mello had seen the boy's smile as something akin to mockery. After a few minutes of shouting (and two bullet holes in the wall), Mello left the building in a huff. Sooner of later Mello would have to converse with the boy again, but he would put this task off for as long as he could.

The blond tried to keep himself occupied, but found there wasn't much to do while he was practically Public Enemy No. 1. He would watch the band practice, or take Kaitlyn out for dinner or something every now and then, but that was pretty much it. As a result, Mello had plenty of time to think about what Alice had told him three nights ago. What had she meant that Matt made her promise not to tell him? Why was she trusted, while he was not? Irritation and jealously burned in the pit of his stomach. Mello would have suspected that the redhead had said something about him, but this suspicion had dissipated when Alice said that Matt promised he would help the Mello if the time came. Then why hide it? What did Matt do that was so horrible that his best friend wasn't allowed to know? He already had kept him in the dark about the band, so what else was there?

Never being the most patient of people, Mello decided the easiest way to get answers was to be direct about it. Mello glanced at the clock in his room. The red numbers told him that it was 1:00 AM. No time like the present, right? Matt should be back soon anyway. Walking across the hall, Mello barged into the gamer's room. He pulled up a chair and sat down, waiting for said person to arrive. Sure enough, a few minutes later, Mello heard Matt's footsteps approach. He seemed exhausted, and had a lit cigarette dangling from his lips. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw someone in his room, but relaxed when he saw it was Mello. Settling down on the bed, Matt gave a casual greeting. Mello however was not in the mood for idle conversation. He spoke in a loud, commanding tone. "Put that out, you'll die early at that rate." Mello could have sworn Matt mumbled something under his breath as he put out his cigarette in a nearby ashtray. Once having Matt's full attention, the blond spoke bluntly, leaving no room for debate.

"Alice told me bits and pieces of what happened after I left. Tell me the rest."

The look on Matt's face could be summed up in one word: terror.

**A/N: Dun dun dun. What will happen next?  
>Sorry this chapter is so short. The next chapter will hopefully be longer, or at least, more plot-heavy. Think of this as an introduction. Expect it within the next 48 hours :)<strong>


	12. Chapter 12

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Matt and Mello would be alive and together. **_

_**A/N: This is my first fic! I hope you all enjoy it! For Matt, I depict him with red hair, despite what his official hair color is. Again, thank you for reading. **_

_**Numbered Days**_

_**Chapter Twelve**_

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><p>Knowing that he probably looked like a deer caught in headlights, Matt composed himself quickly, hoping that Mello didn't notice. Sitting down on the bed, facing Mello, Matt tried to keep his voice steady. "I don't know what you're talking about." The blond's response was instantaneous; he fist flew to the redhead's shoulder. "Don't fuck with me, Matt. She told me what she could, so now tell me the rest." Normally, Matt would obey the blond and tell him, but not today. No, Matt didn't want to tell Mello. "Fuck off Mello, you don't need to know." Said blond's eyes flew open. "What did you just say?" A rhetorical question, of course, but it was also Mello's code for 'try re-answering that before you have to get a new face'. Still, this did not stop Matt. "I said you don't need to know. You don't have to know every detail of my life." He probably sounded like some teenage kid fighting with his parents, but he really didn't care. Mello's scowl grew as he spoke. "Of course I need to know Matt. We're best friends."<p>

Something inside of Matt snapped at that moment. If you asked him what had happened, he couldn't give you an answer. All he would say is that he lost control. "No Mello. We're not 'best friends'. Best friends don't leave their best friend behind without saying goodbye. Best friends don't disappear for three years. Best friends don't call their best friend to save their sorry asses from being blown up. Best friends don't sign up their best friend for suicide missions." Matt's voice grew louder with each example. "Best friends wouldn't fucking bring up shit they clearly don't want to talk about. Best friends wouldn't want to know the shit I've been through!" By the end of his rant, Matt was slightly out of breath. Mello at first said nothing, clearly surprised by Matt's outburst. After several seconds, Mello let out a low growl. "Sue me for not being a 'best friend' then. Whatever Jeevas. Just tell me what the fuck happened."

Matt felt like ramming his head into a wall. Did the blond really not understand that he didn't want to talk about it? Wasn't he supposed to be a genius. And why the fuck did he use his real last name? "Don't call me that." God, he wished the blond would just leave already. There was nothing to discuss. "Aw, does little Matty not like his name?" Mello mocked him in that baby-talk sarcastic tone that Matt hated. "Then stop being a baby and tell me." Matt, unable to voice his anger into actual words, punched the wall. "No, for god's sake Mello. Just leave me the fuck alone!" Mello stood up in anger, chair falling to the floor. "What the fuck is wrong with you lately? You've been acting like a pissy little girl for days now!" Following Mello's lead, Matt also stood up. "Just piss off Mello. I don't have to tell you shit." Mello, aggravated, ran a hand through his hair. "Jesus fucking Christ, if you would just tell me what the fuck is going on with you, I would get off your back."

Matt threw his hands up in the air. "Fine! You wanna know that badly, huh? _Fine._" Rolling up his shirt sleeves, Matt showed Mello his wrists. They were covered in thin, white scars, although there was a rather deep scar on his right arm. "Alice told you I changed, right? Well I did. I got into alcohol. I would get drunk and do _this_." He motioned to his wrists. Disgusted with himself, Matt covered his arms up again. Stepping away from Mello, Matt put his arms out to his sides, as if displaying himself. "Are you happy now? Are you fucking happy now that you know how much power you had over me?" Mello didn't give a response, instead watching Matt with wide eyes. Far from finished, Matt ranted. "Disgusting, isn't it? Go on, say it! I'm pathetic. My friend leaves, and I fall apart? I'm a joke!" He pointed to himself in emphasis. "And yes, I have been 'pissy', " he added air quotes here. "But I think I have a right to be!" Realizing that he almost said too much, Matt held his tongue. "Nevermind. Just leave."

"Well, if you have something on your chest, just say it." Anger was dripping from Mello's voice, like a poisonous venom. Matt shook his head, more to himself than to Mello. "I'm pathetic." He looked up to meet Mello's eyes, his own covered by his goggles. "I'm dying." His voice was laced with anger, regret and sadness. Matt didn't know what Mello's face was like after hearing his words, for he was out the door and halfway down the hallway before Mello could react. There, he said it. He finally told the one person that Matt felt should know of his fate. Matt felt sick as he ran out to his car. Fuck Near, he wouldn't even care if he died right now. He was already a dead man walking. Stepping into his car, Matt lifted his goggles off his eyes to wipe the tears that began to fall. He finally told him how disgustingly pathetic he was. Picking up his phone, Matt dialed the number of the only person in the world who could help him at the moment. After three rings, a woman picked up. "Hello?"

"Alice." Matt stopped talking, his voice caught in his throat. "Matty, come over right now." Matt nodded, even though she could not see him do so. He hung up the phone and drove to Alice's apartment. May the Lord help him.

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><p><em><strong>AN: I will go into what actually happened to Matt in more detail in later chapters. Sorry this is so short, once again. If I added everything I wanted to include, I fear it would be too long and people would lose interest. (AKA, I am including a song in the next chapter, and I want people to actually read the lyrics)**_

_**MATT FINALLY TOLD MELLO! But how will Mello react? What will Matt tell Alice?**_

_**Review please?  
><strong>_


	13. Chapter 13

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Matt and Mello would be alive and together. **_

_**A/N: This is my first fic! I hope you all enjoy it! For Matt, I depict him with red hair, despite what his official hair color is. Again, thank you for reading. **_

_**Numbered Days**_

_**Chapter Thirteen**_

Mattdrove for several minutes, probably breaking several traffic laws on the way. He parked outside Alice's apartment, taking the keys out of the ignition. Slamming his door shut, Matt walked up the stairs until he reached Alice's floor. Standing outside of room 24, Matt knocked softly. Alice flung the door open as soon as Matt made contact with the door. She gasped at his appearance, not that he could blame her. His eyes were probably puffy, even behind his goggles, and there were tear stains on his face. She motioned him to come in and sit down. "Sit and relax. Do you want anything? Coffee, tea?" Matt shook his head; he didn't feel cold or thirsty. He just felt numb and empty. Matt had never fought with Mello like that before, and he found it extremely draining. He sat down on the couch in the center of the room and took a glance around. It was a very nice apartment; it had a decently sized living room, a small kitchen area, and a hallway that lead to the bedroom and bathroom. The living room was well-furnished with a couch, a glass table, two armchairs, a television, along with Alice's keyboard and an acoustic guitar in the corner. Alice, seemingly have had ignored Matt's denial for anything, set a cup of coffee on the table. She sat down next to him, cup of tea in hand, waiting patiently. For several minutes, they sat in silence, neither one uncomfortable.

Alice was the first to speak, seeing that Matt was not going to. "What happened?" Her tone was kind and gentle, but Matt knew she was silently seething. After all, the only one who ever worked Matt up was Mello. Matt shook his head, bitterness in his voice. "Why did you tell him?" He could not bring himself to be fully angry with the girl, for he knew she had a good explanation. Alice smiled sadly at him. "I'm sorry Matt. I didn't tell him much, and you know it. But...I did it because you can't hide it forever." Matt shrugged, instead of giving her an answer. Matt rested his elbows on his knees, burying his head in his hands. "I showed him my arms, Alice. He knows. He'll figure it out...how...pathetic I really am. Alice...I..." Matt paused, words caught in his throat. "I-I'm dying Alice." He looked up to meet her eyes, which were wide and filled with sadness. "...how?" The word was said no louder than a whisper. Matt recited what Near had told him all those days ago. Alice nodded in understanding, and her frown deepened. "Matt..."

Matt cut her off. "You know, Alice, I've been thinking a lot lately about...well a lot of stuff, but...I started thinking about Max. I mean, why are we together? I mean, sure we're friends and we have fun together but...he doesn't _know_ me. He doesn't know what I've been through, where I've come from. He's great and all, don't get me wrong but..." Matt shook his head, laughing bitterly. "I'm not making sense, am I?" Alice reached over and took his hand in hers. Her touch was warm and comforting, and for the first time, Matt realized how cold he was. "You are. It's because you don't love him, Matt. You never have." Somewhere deep inside him, Matt knew she was right. "Then why did I agree to be with him?" These questions were more directed at himself than Alice, but he asked them aloud anyway. Matt saw Alice smile sadly out of the corner of his eye. "Because he's a replacement...for someone else...for the one you really love." She squeezed his hand. "Just think about it Matt." Giving his hand a final squeeze, Alice stood up to get herself more tea.

Matt sat, contemplating what Alice had said. Max was a replacement? But for who? Max and he always had fun together; they snuck out, they got in trouble and laughed about it later; Matt would do stupid stuff to make Max laugh...Matt's eyes grew larger as his mind started to piece the pieces together. Matt liked how energetic the brunette was, how determined he was (when it came to the band)... and when they first kissed, a flash of blond hair had popped into Matt's head.

Matt shook his head in disbelief. He was in love with Mello? No, that's not possible. They were best friends since they were eight. Sure, Mello had befriended him first and made him feel included, and the blond comforted him (in his own way) when he was upset, and they were always together...but that all meant nothing! Right? A tiny voice in his head, however told him that it meant far from nothing. 'Friends don't almost die for their friends. Friends don't blindly follow others with such trust.' The more Matt thought, the more things began to make sense. Why else would he have been so depressed when Mello left without him? Why else was he so relieved that the blond was alive, rather than being angry that he almost blew himself up? Why else would Matt blindly obey Mello's wish to kidnap Takada? He was in love with him. Matt was in love with Mello. The more this thought ran through Matt's brain, the more it seemed _right. _

Alice came back into the room, a knowing smile on her face. "You finally see it?" Matt gave her a look. "Why didn't you tell me? I mean, I could have...I don't know, done something." Alice gave a hearty, but not malicious, laugh. "Do you really think you would have listened? No Matty, you had to figure it out yourself." She patted him on the back. "You're finally growing up Matt." Again, she laughed. Matt sighed, reality once again settling in. "I'm still mad at him." Alice sighed, "Well, that's fair, right? He hurt you. Just 'cause you love him doesn't mean you have to like him all the time." She walked over to the corner where the instruments were kept, picked up the acoustic guitar and handed it to him. "Here, you'll feel better." Matt took it with a slight smile on his face as Alice settled herself by her keyboard. She started playing a slow melodic ballad, a simple progression of chords to emphasis the underlying emotions of the song; might as well improvise, right? Matt sang in a low voice, finally letting what has been destroying him for years out.

_He just walked away  
>Why didn't he tell me?<br>And where do I go tonight?  
>This isn't happening to me<br>This can't be happening to me_

These were the thoughts that ran through Matt's head when it was common knowledge that Mello left to catch Kira on his own.

_He didn't say a word  
>Just walked away<em>

'Summed that up quite well, huh?' Matt thought. The first person, since his family, Matt ever loved left him. No wonder if affected him so much. He began to strum his guitar along with Alice's playing.

_You were the first to say  
>That we were not okay<br>You were the first to lie  
>When we were not alright<br>This was my first love  
>He was the first to go<br>And when he left me for you  
>I was the last to know<em>

Matt didn't exactly know who the "you" was; L? Near? Both? Either way, it didn't make it hurt less knowing that Mello left because other people were more important.

_Why didn't he tell me  
>Where to go tonight?<em>

Thank god Alice had been awake at this hour; Matt didn't know what he would have done if he had no one to turn to.

_He didn't say a word  
>He just walked away<em>

You were the first to say  
>That we were not okay<br>You were the first to lie  
>When we were not alright<br>This was my first love  
>He was the first to go<br>And when he left me for you  
>I was the last to know<p>

Alice had been right; playing and singing this really did help him. Finally getting it off his chest...it gave Matt a sense of clarity that he had never felt. He no longer felt bitter; he understood why Mello left. He understood what the blond was thinking, and none of that mattered anymore. Mello and he were able to meet up again; they got to work together as a team again. As he and Alice played the last few notes, Matt allowed a smile to grace his face. Setting the guitar gently back in it's place, Matt smiled sheepishly. "Thanks, Alice." Said girl smiled. "Anytime. How, as much as I love you, I need sleep. Feel free to sleep on the couch." With that, she hugged him goodnight and left the room. Matt called out his thanks, before lying down on the couch. He would fix everything tomorrow. Tomorrow would be Day Ten.

_**A/N: AND MATT FINALLY IS AWARE OF HIS FEELINGS! Thoughts? :)**_

_**The song is Last to Know by 3 Days Grace.**_

_**Review?**_


	14. Chapter 14

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Matt and Mello would be alive and together. **_

_**A/N: This is my first fic! I hope you all enjoy it! For Matt, I depict him with red hair, despite what his official hair color is. Again, thank you for reading. **_

_**Numbered Days**_

_**Chapter Fourteen**_

Matt awoke the next morning to the smell of coffee, and the banging of pots and pans. Groggily wiping the sleep from his eyes, Matt looked up to see Alice making breakfast...or at least attempting to do so. The sight of burned eggs and toast gave Matt the impression that Alice was not formidable in the culinary arts. Seeing that she was being watched, Alice flushed, tossing out her last attempt of what seemed to be bacon. "Um, morning!" She glanced at the clock. It read 1:30. "Well, afternoon, technically... I, uh-" she motioned to the mess, "was trying to make breakfast...didn't turn out as planned." Matt laughed it off, standing up and grabbing a cup from one of the cabinets. Filling up his hug with coffee, Matt waved his hand. "Don't worry about it. I'm not hungry anyway." She sighed in relief. "Thank god." She popped a piece of gum in her mouth. "We should go. Kaitlyn called twenty minutes ago. She said we should practice early today." She laughed a bit, and added her own opinion. "It's not like we haven't been practicing like madmen the last few days." Smiling at him, Alice grabbed her keys and jacket, and she waited for Matt to finish his coffee. Quickly chugging the hot liquid, Matt met her by the door, slipping on his boots. Nodding to her, they both were out the door.

* * *

><p>They arrived at the warehouse in about ten minutes, and entered as usual. Everyone was there, even Mello, but Matt couldn't bare to look at him. Kaitlyn seemed to be extra energetic, wanting to jump right into practicing. She already had her bass strapped around her. Everyone got into position, as Mello sat on one of the armchairs in the back of the room. Matt ignored him, instead fixating his gaze on a random spot on the back wall. Kaitlyn was constantly telling each person to play louder, which caused Anthony to try and tell her that she was being too rambunctious. Matt saw that Max was slightly disappointed at Anthony's scolding; he clearly had wanted to play at his very loudest. 'Max.' Matt sighed, 'Another thing I need to sort out.' The sooner the better, right? Not wanting to draw attention to himself, Matt discreetly took out his phone and sent Max a quick text message. It read 'we need to talk. Stick around a little after everyone goes home.' Snapping his phone shut, Matt turned his attention back to Mello, out of the corner of his eye. He had seen him playing around on his phone; hopefully he wouldn't ask any questions down the road.<p>

With his thoughts elsewhere, Matt obviously didn't play very well, which caused Kaitlyn to chide him. "This is why we need to practice!" She lightly knocked him on the head. "Get to together, Matt." When her back was turned, Matt turned to Anthony, mouthing 'what did I do?' Anthony, smiling a little, mouthed back, 'that's her way of asking if you're okay.' A worried expression crossed his face as he mouthed his next question. 'Are you?' In full honesty, Matt was far from okay, but he didn't want to worry Anthony, nor draw attention to himself. With a nod of his head and a reassuring smile, Matt went back to practicing the chords for the next song.

* * *

><p>It was early evening when the band had decided to call it a day. Kaitlyn said that "Matt's unfocused behavior was affecting them all" and that they would try again tomorrow. Matt saw Max check his phone, and then look at him, out of the corner of his eye. No turning back now. One by one, everyone left the room. Mello, before leaving with Kaitlyn, glanced back at him to see if he was tagging along. Matt gave him a quick, sad smile before turning to face Max. Matt heard the door close behind him, and he knew that they were alone. Max, seemingly nonchalant, stood up with his fingers laced behind his head. "So? What's up?"<br>How was he supposed to say this without it sounding cold or sudden? Max's casual attitude was not helping Matt break into the serious mood he was trying to create. Never being one with words, Matt spoke bluntly, although not unkindly. "I think we should stop this." Max seemed to be surprised, but his face quickly morphed into a neutral expression. He said nothing, so Matt continued. "I mean, you and me, we're friends and all, but that's it, isn't it? We can still be friends." Max scoffed at this, which hit Matt like a ton of bricks. "Friends? You want us to stay friends?" His tone was sad and bitter, but what surprised more was the boy's next words. "It's because of him, isn't it?" Matt wasn't going to play dumb; he knew that Max meant Mello. All Matt could do was nod. Max shook his head, chuckling a little. "I knew it." He gave Matt a sad, but understanding smile. "Just don't blow it." Deciding that the conversation was over, Max patted Matt on the shoulder as he walked past him to walk out the door. Once hearing the door close, Matt took out a cigarette. With a heavy heart, he watched the smoke dance in the air.

_**A/N: -gasp- Matt and Max are no more! Sorry that this chapter is so short! The next chapter will be longer, and more...well, entertaining. :P Thank you for reading!**_  
><em><strong>Thoughts?<strong>_


	15. Chapter 15

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Matt and Mello would be alive and together. **_

_**A/N: This is my first fic! I hope you all enjoy it! For Matt, I depict him with red hair, despite what his official hair color is. Again, thank you for reading. **_

_**Numbered Days**_

_**Chapter Fifteen**_

Mello noticed that Matt didn't come back to his room that night; he had gotten a text message from Alice (how she got his number was a mystery to him) saying that Matt had stayed at her place. The fact that Matt suddenly told him that he was dying, and then subsequently avoid him caused Mello unease. What had Matt meant when he said he was dying? How much longer did he have to live? Whilst in the middle of his musings, his phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, he saw that Kaitlyn was calling him. Picking it up, Mello gave his usual nonchalant "hello." However, Kaitlyn did not seem to be in the mood for a nice chat. "Get to the warehouse." She was blunt and left no room for argument, and hung up before Mello could even get a word in. Putting his phone back into his pocket, Mello sighed. 'Women.'

* * *

><p>Walking into the room and shutting the door behind him, Mello instinctively knew something was very wrong. First of all, Matt was not present. Somehow this did not put Mello at ease. Anthony and Max were sitting on the couches, while Alice was standing beside Kailtyn. Mostly everyone had a pretty neutral expression on their face, but Kaitlyn had her arms crossed across her chest, a thoroughly pissed off expression plastered on her face. On guard, Mello put his hands to his sides, ready for whatever for what was about to happen. "Kaitlyn."<p>

Said girl, scowl deepening, growled out his name. Wasting no time, she was blunt and direct. "What did you do?" Mello, not entirely expecting this accusation, gave Kaitlyn a skeptical look. "What do you _think_ I did? Go on, enlighten me." Kaitlyn's eyes narrowed, clearly unamused. "I'm talking about Matt. What did you do to him?" This is where Mello got lost. What he did to Matt? Sure, they fought two nights ago, but Mello doubted that that had anything to do with it...right? "What the hell are you talking about?" Kaitlyn seemed to snap at this. "I'm talking about what the fuck you did to him!" Realizing that she was getting nowhere, Kaitlyn huffed before explaining. "Before you showed up, Matt was fine. He was fun and energetic and dedicated to the band. Since you showed up, he's been acting differently. He's quiet and not as outgoing. You saw him yesterday; he was totally unfocused..." It looked as if she was contemplating to say something or not. Her anger getting the better of her, she blurted out what should have been a private matter. "He broke up with Max for god's sake!" Mello looked over at Max; so that was why Matt hung around yesterday. Max, not wanting to be involved in the conversation, waved his hand in a dismissive manner. Kaitlyn, however, was not letting it go. "Now, I'm going to ask you again: what did you do to Matt?" Mello sighed in aggravation. "It was you guys who did something to him. The Matt I have known always acted like that." His next words were direct. "It was you guys that changed him."

Apparently having had enough, Kaitlyn stomped over to the blond, drew her fist back and nailed Mello on the upper lip. Normally, this would have only caused Mello's head to snap back in recoil with no damage, but today Kaitlyn decided to wear a ring. A rather large, dagger-shaped ring. The metall cut into the flesh of Mello's upper lip; not a deep cut, but enough to bleed. Mello, now even more enraged, began to raise his fist to punch the girl back. Seeing that the fight was growing physical, Anthony and Max grabbed Mello, effectively holding him back. Alice, on the other hand, held Kaitlyn from behind by her shoulders so she would not cause more damage. This however did not stop her from yelling at the blond.

"Don't talk as if you know! Don't you dare like you knew the Matt we knew! Matt would have never broke up with Max; he would have never started to lose interest in the band. He never would have-" Mello fought against the two boys who were holding him back, blood dripping from his nose. "Don't talk like you fucking know him either! I was friends with him way before you guys even knew who he was!" Kaitlyn laughed bitterly at this. "Oh? Is that why you had no idea who we were? Because you are 'friends'. Is that why you were nowhere to be found a few years ago? Because you were friends?" Why did everyone have to keep bringing that up? Mello growled threatening at her words. "What am I supposed to say, hm? What did you hope to accomplish? Did you think that by confronting me, you could have 'your sweet little Matt' back?"

Kaitlyn, being too far gone to think logically, kicked her shoe at Mello, which hit him in the face. "I hate it when you do that! Ask questions like this is just some sick twisted mind game to you! I hate it! And I hate you! Just get out!" Her voice grew louder and louder after each exclamation, until she reached the point where she seemed completely exhausted. Kaitlyn visibily slumped, which caused Alice to let her go. Odds are, she was far too emotionally-spent to try and attack Mello again. Mello also seemed to have calmed, so Max and Anthony slowly stepped away. In a very matter-of-fact tone, Kailtyn said what she wanted to tell Mello the moment he walked through the door. "We're done." Mello, seemingly uncaring, shrugged. "Fine." And that was that. Composing herself, Kaitlyn stood up straighter, picked up her shoe, and then sent Matt a text message, telling him to get to practice.

* * *

><p>Matt received two text messages: one from Kaitlyn telling him to get to the warehouse as soon as possible, while the other was from Alice. Matt's eyes widened as he scrolled through the message, explaining what had just transpired. He felt truly sorry for Kaitly, for he knew that she rarely ever liked someone romantically; however, he could not suppress the subtle feeling of joy he felt.<p>

Matt arrived at the warehouse in several minutes, and was welcomed by the reassuring sight of the band practicing. Matt prayed that things would not change between any of them; he turned to Anthony, who was the closest person to them. "Did you guys get my message?" Anthony smiled and nodded reassuringly. "Yeah, we all got the music for your new song. We've been practicing while we were waiting." Alice piped up, "it was really easy to learn; we all picked it up pretty quickly." To be honest, Matt was surprised at this statement. Matt had written the lyrics the previous night, as well as compose the instrumental thanks to a software he made himself. Kaitlyn came up to the group with a huge grin on her face. Putting an arm around the gamer's shoulder, you could tell she as close to screaming in excitement. "The. Bass. Is. So. Awesome." She shook him to emphasize each word. The clang of cymbals filled the room. Max was beaming at him, clearly happy. "One of your best Matt." Said man smiled; hopefully they would feel the same way when they heard the lyrics.

* * *

><p>After setting up, Matt stood in front of the microphone, guitar in hand. He looked to the back of the room and was surprised to see a certain leather-clad man lounging on one of the couches. Matt had assumed that Mello had stormed out or something after the fight. Giving a hesitant smile (which was returned), Matt was reassured that there were no hard feelings between them. Sure Matt had to fully explain what was going on, but there would be plenty of time for that later. (Well, if you considered three days a long time.) Signaling that they were going to play Matt's latest "masterpiece", Max tapped his drumsticks together, counting off the beat.<p>

The song started heavily, with Max and Anthony playing their respective instruments rather loudly. Kaitlyn strummed her beloved bass, tongue sticking out slightly. She seemed to be very focused on playing her part perfectly. Alice, being Alice, accompanied on her keyboard perfectly as always.

_Baby, I sorely miss the vibrant gleam  
>that's in your eyes.<br>I'll write a song about it._

Matt would never admit out loud who he wrote the song for. If by chance, someone did ask, he would say it was about Max. However, he as sure that Alice would know better than anyone who he was really referring to.  
><em><br>And maybe, if the melody's just right,  
>I hope tonight it will find you.<br>It will remind you._

But what's holding me back,  
>is the thought of time we never had.<br>My world's hangin' by three words  
>that I can't bare to say.<p>

He would explain that the three words he was referring to were "I am sorry" and not "I love you".  
><em><br>When you hear this chorus,  
>do you miss the way the world was spinning for us?<br>Do you hurt the way that I do?  
>After all this time you leave me broken, this song<br>is every word I left unspoken.  
>When you hear this girl I'm hopin',<br>that you'll think of us._

Did the blond think about all the time they had missed back then like he did? Maybe if Mello was paying attention (and was vain enough to think the song was about him), he would understand this meaning. Probably not, though.  
><em><br>Baby, I told myself that I'll be fine but it's a lie.  
>I don't wanna' talk about it.<br>Memories, oh they cut like knives, deep inside.  
>And I'm falling, baby catch me if you can.<em>

How many times had Matt said he was fine these past eleven days? How many times had he only said so so that he didn't have to talk about how these were his final days? How many hours has he spent thinking about certain memories, both good and bad?  
><em><br>But what's holding me back,  
>is the thought of time we never had.<br>My world's hangin' by three words  
>that I can't bare to say.<em>

When you hear this chorus,  
>do you miss the way the world was spinning for us?<br>Do you hurt the way that I do?  
>After all this time you leave me broken, this song<br>is every word I left unspoken.  
>When you hear this girl I'm hopin',<br>that you'll think of us.

As Matt sang, he was listening to his band's performance. As expected, they had not messed up once. The energy they all had at that moment was contagious; Matt could swear he even saw Mello tapping his foot once or twice.  
><em><br>When you hear this chorus,  
>do you miss the way the world was spinning for us?<br>Do you hurt the way that I do?  
>After all this time you leave me broken, this song<br>is every word I left unspoken.  
>When you hear this girl I'm hopin',<br>that you'll think of us.  
>That you'll think of us.<em>

_Baby, I sorely miss the vibrant gleam_  
><em>that's in your eyes.<em>

Matt's voice echoed through the room as he finished the song. Matt took a deep breath and looked back to the band; they all seemed really happy. High-fiving Matt, Kaitlyn had a rather smug, proud look on her face. "Have I ever mentioned how much we fucking rock?" Everyone congratulated one another, and decided that they would call it a day. Too much had happened, and with such a successful performance, how could they possibly practice? One after the other, everyone left the warehouse, until only Matt and Mello remained.

Matt smiled sheepishly at the blond. This time, however, Mello's face was neutral in response. Being Mello, he was direct. "You're dying?" Matt nodded slowly, sadly. The next word came out more as a scared question, than the command Mello had intended. "How?" Matt recited what Near had told him all those days ago, to which Mello nodded in understanding. Normally, Mello would have been angry that Matt had hid this from him for so long, but Mello reasoned that he did not want his possible last words to be filled with anger. Deciding that there was nothing more to be said, Matt walked out of the building, with Mello close behind. They both drove to the SPK headquarters in their respective vehicles, and made their way to their rooms. Mello followed Matt into his room, not planning on doing anything besides hang out with the redhead.

Matt pulled out an old GameCube, putting in the MarioKart disc. He did not acknowledge Mello's presence, not because he was upset, but because this is how they had acted back in Wammy's house. Matt would sit and play games for hours, with Mello studying, or watching him play, in the room. The silence was comfortable, and both men seemed content to be with one another. They stayed in the room for hours in relative silence (save for the occasional curse from Matt, or laughter from Mello), until nightfall, where they bid each other goodnight and went to sleep.

As Mello went to sleep, he promised himself he would have Matt tell him everything the next day. After all, tomorrow was day twelve. The longer this piece of information processed in his head, the more empty Mello felt at the thought of losing his best friend forever.

_**A/N: Ta-da! I loved the Kaityln and Mello fight scene. **_  
><em><strong>Dun dun dun. Two days left! What will happen?<strong>_  
><em><strong>The song was If You Can't Live Without Me, Why Aren't You Dead Yet? Please look it up! I find the lyrics to be very fitting for Matt and Mello. I planned on using this song practically the moment I planned on writing this fic!<strong>_  
><em><strong>Thoughts? Opinions? Review, please! :)<strong>_


	16. Chapter 16

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Matt and Mello would be alive and together. **_

_**A/N: This is my first fic! I hope you all enjoy it! For Matt, I depict him with red hair, despite what his official hair color is. Again, thank you for reading. **_

_**Numbered Days**_

_**Chapter Sixteen**_

Matt awoke at an extremely early hour, but did not get out of bed. Instead, he stared the the face of his analog clock on his bedside table. _Tick tick tick._ Matt had a bad feeling about that day. He felt as if he was going to have to do something that he didn't want to. Matt wasn't stupid; he knew what he was upset about. He knew he would have to tell Mello everything today. It was now or never, and what the redhead wanted was for someone in this world to say that they really knew him. Matt sighed, crossing an arm over his eyes. For practically his whole life, he has been someone else. First he was Mail. Then he was Matt, Third in Wammy's House. Then he was Matt, lead singer of Rush. Who was he now?

Matt didn't know how long he was lying there, thinking of philosophical questions like "what is the meaning of life" and "where do people go after they die?" His phone vibrated, telling him that Kaitlyn was growing tired of waiting for him. Matt did not reply to her; he didn't particularly want to see anyone unless he had to.

Matt heard his door creak open and close, and felt his bed sink by his feet. The snapping of chocolate resounded through the room; Matt felt his leg being tapped. "Hey." Matt gave a vague mumble as a response. Mello sighed; he seemed to be trying to keep his temper in check. Tapping his leg more, Mello spoke as if he were talking to a child. "Come on, sit up. We need to talk." Matt groaned, groped for his goggles on the bedside table and pulled them on. Sitting up, Matt rested his head on his knees that were curled up by his chest. Already knowing what Mello was going to ask, a simple question passed through his lips. "How much did Alice tell you?"

Mello recited what Alice said word for word, having memorized her speech due to it running through his mind so often. Matt made sure to keep a neutral expression on his face, but he was sure he let a scowl or two pass through his facade. When the blond was finished, Matt took a deep breath. "She really did tell you everything she could, didn't she?" He laughed, trying to lighten the mood. His laughter, however, died away when Mello's serious expression did not change. Clearing his throat, Matt tucked his knees closer to his chest. "In order for you to understand, I need to tell you about the me from before Wammy's." Matt ran his hand through his hair, a nervous habit he seemed to have developed over the years.

"I was born in America as Mail Jeevas. My father was Michael Jeevas, and my mother's name was Anne. My father walked out when I was three, so I don't remember him well. He divorced my mom, packed up and left; she wasn't employed so he didn't have a lot of money. Whatever money my mom got from my dad was spent on drugs or booze. A lot of the kids at school avoided me, because my mom was the town drunk. I was never picked on though; they were indifferent towards me, if anything. Anyway, whenever she was drunk or high, she wasn't all there, obviously. She would always be yelling about something, but more of the time she vented her anger on me. Never any real damage; bruises and small cuts, but nothing serious. I remember her yelling stuff at me like 'Don't let people close to you! All people do is leave and hurt you. You'll never be loved.' Stuff like that. Anyway, I didn't know what she meant back then." A sad smile crossed his face his face, but it disappeared as quickly as it came.

"It got to the point where I think she was literally insane. She was drunk more than she was sober; she would shout at walls and throw the empty alcohol bottles everywhere." Matt paused for a moment, as if thinking of something else. "I look like her, for the most part. The only thing I got from my dad was his eyes." Matt touched the edge of his goggles gently before continuing. "Usually I would hide in my room and wait for her to fall asleep, but this one time, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. When she saw me, she picked up one of the broken bottles and tried to scratch my eyes out. I was eight." Matt lifted the goggles off his face, revealing to Mello, for the first time, bright green eyes. Although bright, they held a dark sadness in them. Mello's own eyes widened in shock upon seeing the gamer without his signature orange lenses. Not only had they covered his brilliant eyes, they hid the deep white scars around the redhead's eyes. Some were thin, while others were large and thick. There was not a pattern to the scars; there were just a mess of scars that seemed filled with hate. Now feeling self-conscious and naked, Matt focused his eyes down at the bed. "I screamed, naturally, and one of the neighbors called the cops. When my mom heard the sirens, she stopped and locked herself in the bedroom. The police said that she hanged herself. I was taken to the hospital, and that's when I met Wammy. He said that I was a prodigy and offered me a chance to go to England to his orphanage. Obviously, I was skeptical, but really, where else could I go to? So, using the money left to me by my mom (how she managed to have any at all is a mystery to me), I bought these," Matt motioned to the goggles, "and hopped onto the next plane to England."

Mello couldn't believe his ears. The chocoholic thought about his first time meeting the strange new kid. He was shy, awkward and kinda jumpy around loud noises. Mello had always thought it was just because he was weird, but it all suddenly made sense now. His mouth suddenly dry, Mello found it difficult to form words. "Was...it...bad? At Wammy's, I mean, after all of that?" Matt was caught off guard by this question, for it was not one he had predicted Mello to ask. "Uh, well, not really. I mean, I had you as a roommate. Wasn't too bad." Mello felt guilt settle in the pit of his stomach. Not too bad? How about when Mello would yell and scream about Near beating him on the last test? What about the times where Mello would hit Matt in blind rage? What about the times where Mello would throw all the things in their room, and ordered Matt to clean it up? How could that all not have affected him?

As if sensing the blond's thoughts, Matt smiled a little. "Hey now, we had some fun times y'know. It's not like you were a crazy hormonal bitch all the time." Matt burst out laughing when Mello whacked him on the arm, although he did not intend to cause any damage. Mello couldn't help but also crack a smile, despite the rather depressing circumstances. Once they both calmed down, Matt picked at the bedding. "And when L died...and you left...I don't know. I just kinda lost it. I stole and drank alcohol...and when I did, I would just...cut. I can't tell you when it started; all I know is that it did, and I couldn't stop. Can you imagine that? Fourteen years old and already a mess." Matt shook his head at himself. "After all that, I finally understood what my mom tried so desperately to drill into my head. Stuff like people only hurting you, and my inability to be loved...it all seemed to make sense to me. Alice seemed to notice how I changed after you were gone, so she tried to keep an eye out for me. And it's like Alice said; Roger got worried about me and signed me up for the guitar class...About four months after you left, I got _really_ drunk...and I cut too deep." Matt unconsciously rubbed the spot on his right arm where Mello knew the long, deep scar was. "I was sure I was a goner, but Alice found me and managed to stabilize me. After that, she was attached to my hip and forced me to join the band. A few weeks later, we all set out to L.A." Matt's voice dropped to a low whisper. "I did tell Alice...that if you ever showed up...I would help you without hesitation...I looked for you."

Something about the sad, broken tone in Matt's voice as he explained all this made Mello feel remorseful for what he did. But he couldn't have taken him along. They were fourteen. Mello had to do too many unspeakable, horrible, sick things in order to gain favor in the mafia. For Matt to go through all that with him? Unthinkable. Mello spoke strongly, but not unkindly. "I couldn't have taken you with me." Matt nodded. "I know. I know why you did it... it didn't make it hurt less though." Mello, not knowing what to say, nodded in agreement. "I kind of took my mom's words to heart after all that. I put up a facade around Max, Kaitlyn and Anthony. As absolutely corny as it sounds, that's what I did. I couldn't get hurt like that again..." A tear ran down the redhead's cheek the more he spoke. "God, I sound pathetic, don't I?" Getting up suddenly, Matt made his way over to the door. He opened it halfway before he felt a hand on his arm, and saw the other close the door in front of him. "Stop. Just stop." There was no anger in Mello's voice. If anything, it sounded like an exasperated plea. Not turning around, Matt spoke bitterly. "Why should I?"

Now, Matt was expecting for the blond to start yelling, or to hit him, saying he was being stupid. What he wasn't expecting was for the leather-clad man to grab his shoulder, spin him around, push him against the door, and start kissing him.

_**A/N: THIS CHAPTER WAS MY FAVORITE TO WRITE. I have thought about Matt's past extensively, so I was very excited to write it. Now you have Matt's full story! :) AND! Finally some MattxMello scenes! Next chapter should be up in one or two days! :)  
>(For those keeping track, this is day 12 out of 14)<strong>_


	17. Chapter 17

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Matt and Mello would be alive and together. **_

_**A/N: This is my first fic! I hope you all enjoy it! For Matt, I depict him with red hair, despite what his official hair color is. Again, thank you for reading. **_

_**Numbered Days**_

_**Chapter Seventeen**_

Mello's body had moved without his brain telling it to. One second he had been trying to keep Matt from leaving, and the next, he was kissing said boy. Mello felt Matt tense and freeze when their lips first touched, but this did not stop him. Mello had a feeling that this was what Matt needed; moving his lips against the gamer's, Mello prayed he had done the right thing and not ruin everything. Sure enough, after a few moments, Matt placed his hand on Mello's shoulder and kissed him back. The kiss wast chaste, but it conveyed both males' feelings. Fear, regret, apology, comfort, acceptance...love? When they pulled apart and opened their eyes that they didn't notice fall close, Matt immediately blushed as red as his hair. his mouth opened and closed, as if speaking, but no words came out. Only stuttered mumblings were heard, which caused Mello to laugh. Not this usual teasing or sarcastic laugh, but an actual joyful laugh. It only lasted four seconds, but it was the first time in years that Mello laughed like that.

Looking into the redhead's eyes, Mello spoke slowly, as if the twenty-year-old was five again. "Cat got your tongue Matt?" His signature smirk made it's way onto his face. Matt, finally regaining his ability to speak, ducked his head to avoid the blond's gaze as he asked, "W-why did you do that?" Mello didn't know why he did, but he would rather die than tell Matt that. "Because." He shrugged nonchalantly, as if his one-word reply answered all of Matt's questions. Matt rolled his eyes; "Mel, I'm not nine anymore. 'Because' no longer counts as an answer." Mello shrugged once more, taking two steps away from Matt. The redhead was about to respond, when there was a knock at the door. Turning and briskly walking over to the bed, Matt put on his previously forgotten goggles. After making sure they were on securely, Matt turned and opened the door. He was greeted by the sight of a certain albino. He was twirling a lock of his hair, while holding a red and blue colored robot. He seemed to be analyzing Matt with his cool, calculating eyes. His gaze drifted behind Matt, to Mello. He spoke dully, as he usually did. "Matt. Mello. Good, you're both here. We have matters to discuss." Matt stepped aside so the boy could walk in. Mello glared at the sight of the boy, but said nothing as he sat down on Matt's bed. "Matt, shut the door. We do not wish for others to hear." Matt obeyed Near, although his stomach dropped in nervousness.

Near played with the robot's arms as he spoke. "I am here to discuss two different topics. First of all," he motioned to Matt. "I wanted to know what you had planned, Matt, as far as funeral matters were concerned." Matt grew uneasy, and ran a hand through his hair. "You take care of it. I don't own much, so preparing a will shouldn't cause any trouble. As for the actual funeral...nothing fancy." Near nodded in understatement. "Is there a certain place you wish to be buried?" Matt stared at his feet, not entirely comfortable with discussing his funeral arrangements so nonchalantly. His response was simple. "No." Near, again nodded. "Alright. Now then, Mello." Near did not look up when speaking to Matt, but his head raised when he wanted Mello's attention. Mello had his arms crossed and waited for the boy to speak. "I have a case for you; a serial killer in America. Halle has the file if you want the details." Mello seemed surprised that Near brought up the topic of L cases, but quickly recovered. "When should I leave?" Near, cold and calculating as ever, spoke without hesitation. "As soon as you are able." Mello's face twisted into scowl, but quickly morphed into indifference. "I'll leave in a few days." He glanced at Matt before returning his focus to Near. "Is that it?" His voice had a bite to it, but Near did not seem to notice nor care.

Near gave a quick nod, then stood up to leave. "That is all." He gave a small smile to Matt; you probably would have missed it if you weren't looking. "Take care." And with that, Near left the room, the click of the door sounded behind him. Matt glanced over to the blond, who seemed to be exhausted by the series of events. Noticing that the redhead was looking at him, Mello threw him a small smile. Words did not need to be spoken; both had been brought back to the reality that Matt was going to die in less than 48 hours, and there was nothing they could do about it. Suddenly energetic (or feigning it, Matt wasn't sure), Mello turned to Matt. "Let's go out. You and me. Right now." Matt laughed at the sudden declaration. "And go where? We're not exactly your average joe's; we're wanted criminals." Mello waved off Matt's comment. "Don't worry about it. Don't you trust me?" He added a smirk and was out the door.

* * *

><p>Mello thought it would be safer (and more fun) to take his motorcycle, rather than a car. After Matt had gotten dressed out of his sleeping clothes, and into a T-shirt and jeans, he met Mello outside by his bike. Upon seeing him, Mello tossed Matt the helmet. "Get on." Mello swung his leg over the bike, resting his hands on the handlebars. Matt looked skeptically at the leather-clad blond. "Shouldn't <em>you<em> be the one to wear it?" Mello rolled his eyes, "Matt, stop being a girl and get on the bike." Complying to Mello's demand, Matt put the helmet on, straddled the bike and wrapped his arms loosely around the blond's waist. Mello revved up the bike, and rode quickly down the street, causing Matt to tighten his hold on him. Mello smiled a bit as he drove; the wind rushed around him, giving the blond the impression he was flying, completely free. Several minutes later, Mello returned back to Earth and parked outside a small building. Matt took off his helmet and read the sign over and over. He couldn't believe his eyes; Mello had brought him to the arcade. Well, the lower floor was a game store, while the second floor was an arcade. Matt had wanted to visit this place several times when they were working on the Kira case, but Mello obviously forbid him from it. The gamer's mouth had fallen open and he continued to stare in awe, as if this was all a crazy dream. Mello, chuckling, pried Matt's arms off of him so he could get off the bike. "Your face will freeze like that." He tapped Matt's open jaw to emphasize his point. Snapping his mouth shut, Matt got off the bike and looked back and forth between the building and Mello. "You...really?" Mello rolled his eyes at Matt's surprised reaction. "Shut up and get inside before I change my mind." Not needing to be told twice, Matt ran inside like a kid in a candy store.

The place has several dozen people in it, but it was spacious enough to not make Mello feel crowded. He watched Matt flip through the racks of games for sale, and stroll casually among the shelves. His eyes, although obstructed by his goggles, shone with childlike amusement. There a spring in his step, and a grin that seemed to be plastered onto his face. Mello waited for Matt to finish, eating a chocolate bar loudly, despite some of the other customers' annoyed glances. After a half hour of looking at the aisles of games, Matt seemed ready to go upstairs. There was an elevator in the back, and a door to the staircase next to it. Matt, clearly too excited to wait for the elevator, pushed open the door and began to run up the stairs. Now, Matt has never been physically fit (although, he's always been thin) so he grew out of breath by the time he reached the second floor. Mello, on the other hand, sprinted up the stairs and laughed at the redhead when he noticed his breathlessness. Matt ignored Mello's fit of laughter and opened the door. The room was dimly lit, so the main sources of light were from the several machines scattered about the room. Again, Matt ran off like a child, looking at all the games with wide eyes. Putting fifty cents into one of the machine, Matt began to lose himself in the pixel-ated world.

Several hours (and ten chocolate bars later), Mello deemed that Matt had had enough. The redhead had manage to play every game in the room, as well as claimed the number one top score on each. It was mildly impressive, due to the fact that Matt had nearly doubled the previous high score. The only way Mello convinced Matt to leave was to point out the fact that 1.) he hadn't eaten in the last 24 hours, and 2.) he had spent all his money. By the time they exited the building, the sun had already set. Mello left food plans up the the gamer, for he was full after eating all the chocolate he had on his person. They rode about a block away to a hole-in-the-wall pizza place, where Mello was generous enough to pay._** (A/N: That was sarcasm, in case you couldn't tell hahaha)**_ Whilst there, Matt and Mello caused a bit of mischief by throwing the store's supply of paper plates around the tables, on the floors, and the bathrooms. They ran out, leaving the money on the table, and rode out quickly, laughing the entire way.

When the duo arrived back at SPK and were back in their respective rooms, Mello checked his phone for the time. It was well past ten o'clock, and he was greeted by the sight of 14 new messages from the various band members, all of which carried the same message of 'why wasn't Matt at practice?' Why they asked him and not the person in question, Mello would never know. He wrote Anthony (for his messages had been the most calmly composed) that Matt was fine and would be at practice the next day. Walking across the hallway, Mello entered the gamer's room without knocking. Said man was sitting on the windowsill, smoking a cigarette. "You're going to practice tomorrow. Everyone pretty much flipped when you didn't go today." Mello watched Matt exhale the smoke into the chill air, and nod in agreement. "Yeah, that'd probably be best." Mello could see the troubled look in the other's eyes; walking to his side, Mello patted him reassuringly on the shoulder. No words of advice or consolation were exchanged, for Mello did not see the point in meddling in someone else's business.

They stood there for several minutes, each lost in their thoughts. The silence was comfortable, as it normally was. Matt was the first to break free of his inner musings. "You should sleep; tomorrow is gonna be pretty energetic." Mello scoffed at this. "I bet you twenty bucks that Kaitlyn will be the first to yell at you." Matt shook his head, laughing quietly. "I would take you up on that, but I have no cash to bet." Mello half-smiled, half-smirked. "That's what you get for playing games for seven hours." Mello bent lower, and brushed his lips against Matt's cheek. "Night Matt." The smoker, not expecting this sudden display of affection, murmured a flustered goodnight, and let out a sigh when he heard the door close. Tomorrow would be an interesting day...and his last.

_**A/N: There we go! Tomorrow is Day 13, Matt's last day to live. That also means that I have 2 more chapters left in this fic! Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed, or reviewed this story! I hope you have enjoyed it so far!**_

_**Review please!**_


	18. Chapter 18

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Matt and Mello would be alive and together. **_

_**A/N: This is my first fic! I hope you all enjoy it! For Matt, I depict him with red hair, despite what his official hair color is. Again, thank you for reading. **_

_**Numbered Days**_

_**Chapter Eighteen**_

Matt awoke at first daylight, for he did not want his last day spent sleeping. Matt took out the orange notebook from under his bed and began to idly flip through old songs he never finished. He smiled while reading some, and laughed how bad the others were. Once he was finished, Matt stood up and turned on his laptop that was sitting on the table. Opening his custom music synthesizer, Matt sat down and started to compose his final song.

* * *

><p>Matt had just finished the song when he heard Mello knock on the door (a first). Peeking his head in, Mello called out to him. "I'm leaving in five minutes. If you're not out there by then, I'm leaving your sorry ass here." The door closed once more, and Matt heard the sound of footsteps fade away. Shaking his head while smiling, Matt quickly got dressed in his favorite black and white stiped shirt and jeans. Stuffing his almost empty cigarette box into his pocket, Matt ran out the door to catch up with the blond.<p>

When Matt stepped outside, Mello was leaning against his motorcycle casually. Upon seeing the redhead, he threw one leg over the bike and sat down, waiting for Matt to do the same. When Matt got on the bike, he wrapped his arms around the blond's waist tightly, partly to prevent himself from falling off, and partly to have an excuse to be close to Mello. "Little clingy there, don't you think Matt?" There was a slight bite to Mello's words, which caused Matt to tense and significantly loosen his grip. However before Matt could panic, Mello started to laugh. Matt felt the other man tug at his arms, once again securing him. "I'm teasing you, you dumbass." The insult did not hold any ill-intent, so Matt relaxed instantly. Mello revved the engine, and they were off.

* * *

><p>Both men walked into the building, completely calm and nonchalant. When they opened the door, they were greeted by the sight of a relieved Anthony and Max. Kaitlyn gave Matt a sixteen minute lecture on how he was never to miss practice again, or she would kill him. (Matt couldn't help but chuckle mentally at the irony.) At the same time, Alice glared Mello down and started accusing him of keeping Matt from practice. Both shrugged and apologized half-heartily, then smirked at one another. Anthony, stepping in, tried to keep the peace. "All that matters is that Matt is here now, right?" Kaitlyn mumbled her agreement, while Alice merely nodded. Max started banging on his drums, clearly excited to practice.<br>Practice went on for several hours...well it was half practice and half goofing off. For the first hour or two, Alice tried to keep everyone in line, but after a while, she also gave into the fun-loving atmosphere. She even ordered pizza for the band for dinner; everyone just thought that she was being nice, but Matt knew that she was doing it for him. A last hooray, so to speak. They played loud music, played pointless games like truth or dare, got sugar high on soda and candy, and laughed at anything and everything. Even Mello cracked a smile every now and then. Alice caught a few of their not-so-secret glances at one another, and nudged Matt with her elbow. "About time." She added a smirk and laughed. Max, likewise, shoved Mello once or twice when he caught he and Matt staring at one another for a few seconds too long. His actions were not driven by malice or jealousy; he merely wanted to give Mello a hard time. His efforts were successful, as Mello had threatened to break the boy's kneecaps if he did it again. This only caused Kaitlyn to start tackling Mello, regardless of whether he was looking at Matt or not. Anthony managed to pry her away from the blond by pretending to throw her bass at the wall. Obviously this caused more of a ruckus than it solved, but Anthony didn't seem to be fazed by the brunette yelling at him. In fact, he seemed to have a shadow of a smile on his face.

Hours went by, and it was eleven at night when everyone decided to go home. Alice drove Max home, for they lived close to one another. Likewise, Anthony drove Kaitlyn home because they lived in the same apartment complex (and Kaitlyn was too lazy to call a cab). After everyone had departed, Matt gazed out at the empty street; a sad but content smile was on his lips. Mello nudged him lightly. "Do you think you should have told them?" Mello spoke quietly, as though if he spoke too loudly, the delicate atmosphere would fall apart. Matt shook his head, the smile not leaving his face. "Nah, it's best this way. We wouldn't have been able to do this if I dampened the mood." Mello, showing his rare sentimental side, grabbed Matt's hand, leading him to the bike. "We should go back." Nodding mutely, Matt squeezed the blond's hand as they walked over to the black motorcycle.

* * *

><p>When they arrived back at the ex-SPK building, both men did not say a word; they walked back to Matt's room in silence. Only when the door was shut did they speak. "So..." Mello hesitated, trying to phrase his words so they sounded as gentle as possible. "When...I mean, how much time do you think, you know, you have?" The blond fidgeted with his rosary that was hanging around his neck as he waited for Matt to speak. Glancing at the clock, Matt saw that it was a quarter past eleven. He shrugged. "Near said I had fourteen days. Midnight will be the start of Day Fourteen, so I would guess about 45 minutes." The distant, nonchalant way Matt spoke chilled Mello to the bone. He wanted to tell Matt it would all work out, but they both knew that this was it. Mello opened his mouth to say something, but Matt beat him to it. "Mel, sit on the bed, will ya? I..want you to hear something." Mello did as the man said, and watched him grab his acoustic guitar and turn on his laptop on the table. Sitting down on a chair with the table beside him, Matt threw Mello a timid smile. While tuning his guitar, seemed to be opening a file on his computer. "I made this earlier...I thought you would like it." Matt glanced up at the blond nervously. "Ready?" Mello stood up suddenly, walked over to where the redhead was sitting, and slipped off his orange goggles. Taking a moment to admire Matt's green, now wide, eyes, Mello went and resumed his place on the bed. "Yeah." Smiling briefly, Matt clicked the mouse to his computer, and began to play his guitar.<p>

The song was a ballad; the guitar was strong but slow. There was a faint cello playing in the background. Matt opened his mouth to sing.

_When I see your smile  
>Tears run down my face<br>I can't replace  
>And now that I'm strong<br>I have figured out  
>How this world turns cold<br>and it breaks through my soul  
>And I know I'll find<br>deep inside me  
>I can be the one<em>

Matt glanced at Mello. smiling, before turning his attention back to the instrument in his hand. He occasionally strummed a chord as he sang the next few lines.  
><em><br>I will never let you fall(let you fall)  
>I'll stand up with you forever<br>I'll be there for you through it all(though it all)  
>Even if saving you sends me to heaven<em>

Mello felt his stomach drop at the last line; he felt as if someone had thrown him into a body of ice cold water. Apparently, Matt had predicted that he would react this way, for the next lines put Mello's mind at ease.  
><em><br>It's okay. It's okay. It's okay.  
>Seasons are changing<br>And waves are crashing  
>And stars are falling all for us<br>Days grow longer and nights grow shorter  
>I can show you I'll be the one<em>

Matt sang with a content smile on his face. He was looking forward to singing the chorus to the person who inspired him to write it in the first place.  
><em><br>I will never let you fall (let you fall)  
>I'll stand up with you forever<br>I'll be there for you through it all (through it all)  
>Even if saving you sends me to heaven<em>

_Cuz you're my, you're my, my, my true love, my whole heart_  
><em>Please don't throw that away<em>  
><em>Cuz I'm here for you<em>  
><em>Please don't walk away and<em>  
><em>Please tell me you'll stay, stay<em>

Matt looked away from his guitar to look at directly to Mello. Their eyes met, and that was the moment where Mello realized completely what was happening. He was going to lose Matt forever...and he couldn't do anything about it.  
><em><br>Use me as you will  
>Pull my strings just for a thrill<br>And I know I'll be okay  
>Though my skies are turning gray<em>

When Mello heard this, he suddenly felt anxious. Did Matt really think that he was only using him?  
><em><br>I will never let you fall  
>I'll stand up with you forever<br>I'll be there for you through it all  
>Even if saving you sends me to heaven<em>

Matt stopped playing as the final notes coming from his laptop faded away. Closing his laptop and leaning his guitar against the table, Matt smiled and shrugged. "That's it. Wasn't too boring, was it?" Mello stood up from the bed and walked over to Matt. He did not try to hide his emotions; all his happiness, amazement, sadness, and grief showed on his face. "Matt." Said gamer stopped smiling, a serious expression taking its place. He stood up so he was at eye-level with the blond. "Mello...I..." He paused, for his next words scared him to say. "I love you." Mello smirked, "Who doesn't?"  
>Before Matt could respond, Mello latched his lips onto Matt's. Their eyes closed, and each poured everything they had into that one kiss. When Mello heard the redhead's breath hitch, he pulled away and discovered Matt was crying. Gently holding him, Mello led Matt to the bed and laid them both down. Mello rested his chin on top of Matt's head, as said man cried openly into Mello's chest. Through choked sobs, Matt managed to form words. "I don't want to die. Mel, I'm scared. I don't want to die." Mello pulled Matt closer, whispering words of comfort. "It's okay Mail. <em><strong>(AN: Matt's real name, in case you don't remember) **_It's all going to be okay." Mello hushed him softly, as a mother does to her wailing child. When Matt stopped crying and relaxed, Mello showered his face with soft kisses. A rare moment of tenderness that he would never admit to.

They laid there on the bed for a half hour, exchanging words of love and complacency. Mello glanced at the clock. 11:50 pm. Looking back at the man in his arms, Mello discovered that Matt seemed to be falling asleep. Mello bitter-sweetly thought, 'At least he'll die in his sleep, and not suffer the pain of a heart attack.' Matt mumbled sleepily. "Mello? Stay with me, 'kay?" Mello cracked a smile; twenty years old and Matt acted like a six-year-old. "Okay. Just get some sleep." Matt curled up closer to Mello. His next words were muffled and Mello almost missed it. "I love you." Mello felt a single tear slip from his eye, and quickly brushed it away. Kissing Matt's forehead, Mello whispered four words he thought he would never say. "I love you too."

As a mess of tangled limbs, both men fell asleep, dreaming of a kinder, gentler reality.

_**A/N: ;_; I finally did it. This killed me to write. I will write one more chapter and then Numbered Days will be completed! Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, and/or favorited this story!**_


	19. Chapter 19

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Matt and Mello would be alive and together. **_

_**A/N: This is my first fic! I hope you all enjoy it! For Matt, I depict him with red hair, despite what his official hair color is. Again, thank you for reading. **_

_**Numbered Days**_

_**Chapter Nineteen**_

When Mello first opened his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of the redhead's sleeping face. No...that wasn't right. Matt wasn't sleeping...Mello shut his eyes tightly and bit his lip, trying to will the tears away. As the minutes passed by, Mello thought he was going insane. He was feelings things he shouldn't. He shouldn't be able to feel Matt's breath on his skin. He shouldn't feel the man's body heat. He shouldn't hear the redhead's soft breathing. Opening his eyes to prove to himself that he had truly lost it, Mello once again looked at Matt's face. His face was still pink, rather than deathly-pale like it should be. Mello held his breath as he placed a hand on the gamer's chest. And then he felt it; a strong, healthy heartbeat. But that couldn't be.

Mello moved his hand to cup Matt's face, stroking his cheek with his thumb. Sure enough, Matt groaned and his eyes fluttered open. He gazed at Mello, confused as to why the blond woke him up; as realization sunk in, Matt quickly turned to look at the clock. 10 o'clock. He turned back to Mello, confusion clear on his face. "H-how?" Mello was at a loss for words. "...Maybe you get to live through the Fourteenth Day?" Hope started to bubble in his chest; he would get to be with Matt for a little while longer. Matt smiled a little, placing his hand over the hand on his cheek. Squeezing a little, Matt sighed contently. Maybe God was being kind to him for once in his life. Both Matt and Mello did not make any attempts to move, as though if they did, the miracle they were witnessing would disappear like smoke. An hour went by without either of them realizing it, for they were too busy being completely comfortable in each other's presence.

A knock broke them from their thoughts, so Matt got out of bed to see who it was. He picked up hiss goggles from the floor, slipped them on, and opened his bedroom door. Imagine his surprise when he was greeted by the sight of a certain black haired woman and albino. Alice smiled widely upon seeing him and hugged him tightly. Although utterly baffled by her sudden appearance, Matt wrapped his arms around her in return. Meanwhile, Near waited patiently and expressionless beside Alice. Matt let them both in and shut the door behind him. Mello seemed to be annoyed by the sudden interruption; he immediately snapped upon seeing the white-haired boy. "What do you want Near? I told you I would leave for that case soon-" Alice cut Mello off. "Mello, calm down. This has nothing to do with that. Will you please be quiet?" Although irritated by being told what to do, Mello pushed his anger aside; he was curious why they were both here. Near, twirling his hair with his finger, seemed to be playing with a finger puppet. Said puppet had red hair and orange plastic goggles painted on him. Growing skeptical, Mello barked at Near. "So, what is it?"

Alice stepped forward, looking serious. "Please sit down Mello." Huffing, Mello crossed his arms and sat on the bed. Matt followed suit, as Near sat on the chair by the table. Alice herself leaned against the table itself, chewing a piece of gum. After seeing that everyone was situated, Alice spoke once more. "Let me be blunt, and then I will explain." She took a breath for dramatic effect. "We lied." Matt narrowed his eyes incredulously. "About...?" Matt spoke slowly, waiting for Alice to fill in the blanks. Alice bit at her bottom lip, smiling slightly. "Well, about the whole Misa Amane writing your name in the Death Note thing...yeah..." Both Matt and Mello's eyes bulged in disbelief. Mello, obviously more quick tempered, stood up suddenly and lunged at Alice. Gripping her by the jaw, Mello glared threateningly at her. "Why the fuck would you do that?" Turning to Near, Mello's voice dripped with venom. "And what does she mean 'we'?" Near, who was playing with his finger puppet, did not look up when addressing Mello. "I did not wish to lie to either of you, but Alice reasoned that it was the best course of action." Alice, remaining calm despite the blond's grip, spoke apologetically. "You see, as you know Mello, I have seen Matt suffer more than a normal person should. When he ran off to help you, and after he was gunned down by those police officers, I realized how much he truly cared about you. I wasn't exactly happy about it, but I care about Matt, so I helped him out."

Cutting the girl off, Mello snapped. "And how would you accomplish that by telling him he was dying?" Alice smiled smugly. "Do you think you two would have sorted out everything, and admit how you felt, if I didn't?" This successfully caused Mello to shut up, causing Alice to smile triumphantly. Composing himself, Mello pulled his hand away from Alice and sat back down on the bed. Matt flushed, and turned his attention to Near. "Why did you help? I mean, I can understand why Alice did, but you?" Near spoke plainly, as if he were explaining something to a three year old. "Although Mello dislikes me, I have never disliked Mello. I do not see a reason why I would wish him ill." Mello's jaw slackened when he heard this. After all the years of anger and pure hatred at the boy, Near felt nothing? Maybe he was a robot or something. "So, to get this straight, you both set this whole thing up, just so Mello and I could heal some old wounds?" Despite their good intentions, Mello couldn't help but feel betrayed. Near, cold as ever, spoke evenly. "Yes, I suppose that summarizes it." Matt, still shocked at this confession, spoke hesitantly. "So, there's nothing wrong with me? I'll live?" Alice nodded. "The only thing that will cause you an early death are those damn cigarettes." She laughed as Matt let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Matt looked over to Mello, letting out a laugh. He was going to live! He had time! _They_ had time. Alice, having stopped laughing, gave Matt a sad smile. "Now the choice is yours Matt. You can come back to the band." Near finished her sentence, "Or go with Mello and assist him." Mello's eyes opened in surprise. Matt could go with him? The gamer looked back and forth between Alice and Mello. Settling his eyes on Alice, he gave a defeated sigh. "Alice, you know I love the band. But I," he hesitated, trying to find the right words. However, the Asian woman gave a knowing smile. "You love Mello more. I know; I figured that this would be your choice from the start. It was nice to see you again Matt." He smiled back at her. "You too Alice. Listen; tell the others that I'm sorry." Alice nodded, before crossing her arms. "I don't know Matt, Kaitlyn will be pretty upset with you..." There was a slight theatrical tone in her voice, making her sound overly dramatic. Mello smirked a bit. "I bet Anthony will be able to calm her down. He has a talent in doing that." Alice winked. "You picked up on that too, huh? Too bad they're both too stubborn too realize how good they would be together."

Near stood up suddenly, making his way to the door. "Mello, regarding your case we discussed earlier, a plane has been prepared for your trip. It is waiting on the roof. It would be in your best interest to leave soon." Offering Matt a barely-there smile, Near opened the door and quickly departed. Leaning his head on Mello's shoulder, Matt looked over to Alice. "Thank you Alice. For everything." She nodded in response, before pushing herself away from the table she was leaning on. "I should go; JD called earlier about a show in England that's coming up." She stepped over to Matt and ruffled his hair. "Take care of yourself Matty." She tilted her head up to give a malicious look to Mello as she spoke. "Don't screw up." And as quickly as it had come, the glare was gone and replaced by happiness. Waving goodbye, Alice made her way to the door. She was a step away from leaving when Mello called out to her. "You should stop being so stubborn too; Max deserves that much, don't you think?" Alice's walking faltered, her face unreadable since her back was to the men. She gave a vague mumble that sounded like "maybe so", but it was too soft for either man to be sure; she continued her walking as she turned away from view and her footsteps faded away.

Mello pecked Matt on the cheek before standing up and stretching. He lightly tapped Matt's leg with his foot. "Hurry up and get ready. Pack what you need; We're heading out." He flashed Matt a smile before leaving for his own room. Matt laid down on his bed, putting his arm over his eyes. It all seemed like some crazy dream, and Matt silently feared he would wake up and be on death's row once more. Pinching the skin on his hand, Matt sent a jolt of pain shoot up his arm. 'Nope, not a dream.' A euphoric feeling washed over Matt's being as he stood up to grab a backpack from the closet. Not having many possessions, Matt packed only the essentials: his video games, cigarettes, lighter, batteries, laptop and charger, and a few changes of clothing. Matt reached under his bed to pull out his ratty old notebook. Shoving it alongside his laptop, Matt zipped the bag and up threw it over his shoulder.

Mello was already in the hallway waiting for him. He packed far less than Matt; a small bag of clothing and a larger bag of chocolate bars. Motioning to Matt, Mello barked out an order. "Come on, we're going to the roof." However, the order lacked its usual bite, for Mello himself was experiencing a similar blissful high. Upon opening the door leading to the stairs, both men climbed the stairs two at a time, trying to trip each other along the way. By the time they reached the roof, Matt was out of breath from the climb, as well as from laughter.

It was cold outside, seeing as it was February. Luckily for them, there was no snow or ice on the roof so they knew their flight would not be hindered. The plane was a fairly large private jet; Mello grumbled how this was Near's silent way of bragging. Matt rolled his eyes, telling the blond that Near wasn't that bad. This only irritated Mello more, as he stormed over to the jet. After putting away their bags, Mello and Matt sat next to each other, waiting to take off. The redhead was sitting by the window, looking out at the Tokyo skyline. Mello threw his arm around Matt's shoulder and bonked the gamer's head with his own. "You gonna miss it?" Matt shrugged. "A little." A small smile graced his face as he felt (and saw) the jet begin to move. Once in the air, Matt leaned closer to the window to watch the Japanese city fade from view. "It won't be too bad. After all," Matt looked to his right to face the blond. "I'm helping out the world's greatest detective." Mello's face broke out into a cocky grin at the title. "Hell yes you are."

_**A/N: And that's it! -laughs- Did you really think I was going to kill him? I have had this ending planned for as long as I have been writing! I hoped it read well, and I hope you liked it! Thank you for reading Numbered Days! Please review!**_


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